Radiology Forums

xavior · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:53 am Post subject: Current students, help us.

A lot of us have been accepted and now waiting for our class start date. Mine is next April so I'm just taking some corresponding courses at the community colleges until then.

What else do you suggest we do for the mean while to best prepare ourselves for the program? How can we start learning in advance, the science of radiography?

Thank you.

TheXrayGourmet · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 33

I bought all of my books in advance and read the first few chapters to give me a headstart. You will also need to brush up on your anatomy, you will need to know that well.
Good luck!

Randythetech · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Posts: 11

I don't know if this is the universal textbook of RTs or not, but purchasing and practicing from Merrill's will be a lifesaver. A LIFESAVER. Find out what positioning book you'll be studying from and buy it NOW.

Here are a few sites online to study up on prior to entering the program:

http://www.studystack.com/studystack-14582

http://www.studystack.com/studystack-48689

For a brief explanation of the acronyms you'll encounter:

SID-Source Image Distance
KvP-Kilovolts Peak
mAs-milliamperes/second
OID-Object Image Distance

Get an understanding of the applied physics now, as it will need to become second nature later on.

Even if it's a foreign language to you (which some of it quite literally will be,) you'll find the earlier coursework so much easier to deal with, as laws, terms and otherwise'll be familiar to you.

The XRay Gourmet is right about anatomy. know it well.

wvaio · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

You have plenty of time to get a great start on your education. I wouldn't attempt to get involved in radiographic positioning. Getting a solid medical base would be highly benificial. If you want a simple list of a few topics you should cover, here it is:

1. ANATOMY-
-You will need to know all 206 bones, without a doubt
-Abdominal contents and placement, four quadrants and nine regions, etc

2. CELLULAR ANATOMY-
-get ahead by knowing the basics of cells.

3. PHYSICS-
-Knowing the makeup of the atom will pay huge dividends

4. MED-TERM
-medical terminology and medical abbreviations will be cover extensively wouldn't hurt to get a start on them.
-knowing the diffence between distal, proximal, anterior, posterior, etc. in anotomy terminology.

5. MATH
-if you have any issues with math(algebra) get them out of the way. Brushing up on math never hurt anyone.
-metric/standard conversions inches to cm Faren. to Celsius etc.

I will even give you your first lesson:

There are 8 carpal bones in the hands. A way remember them is the acronym: Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle
Scaphoid- Some
Lunate- Lovers
Triquetrom- Try
Pisiform- Positions
Tapezium- That
Trapezoid- They
Capitate- Can't
Hamate- Handle

That is in order from lateral to medial. Proximal row then distal row.
TTCH
SLTP
Good Luck.