Radiology Forums

stacey11969 · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

I am a 1st year student and we are in the middle of a semester that requires at least 2 Mandatory comps in fluoro.

My problem is - fluoro procedures simply do not make sense to me. Techs use so many different acronyms for the procedures and although every clinic site we attend do things differently I cannot make sense of how any procedure is done. Which, in turn, keeps me from just jumping right in TO learn. My professor has already given me a tongue-lashing for being such a chicken, but I need to know if there is a more simple, idiot-proof way to understand UGI, BE, Small Bowel FT, thick and thin barium, gastrograffin, how and why the stuff is mixed the way it is, etc.

I knew what I was getting into when I applied to the program, I just didn't realize how complicated I would make it...and it's not so fun anymore because I don't understand fluoro procedures.

Can someone help me get a grip?

hjhogle · Moderator Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 609 Location: CT

EVERY procedure has multiple names, depending on 1-what facility you're in, 2-the region of the country, 3-whether or not the radiologist is newly trained or an old dog like me. Even the same technologist may use multiple names for a study in one sentence (who, me?).

Most facilities perform an abdomen series that includes a supine abdomen, an upright abdomen and a single frontal view of the chest. Also known as - F/E (flat and erect), abdomen 3-way, F/U (flat and upright), acute abdomen series and I'm sure there are others I haven't come across.

It doesn't matter what they call it. (on a side note, I've worked in two different facilities in different parts of the country that called it a BE with gastrografin. Someone want to wrap their brain around that one? If you're using gastrografin, you're not doing a barium enema, are you?)

You'll learn the ones most commonly used at your current facility - and when you go to another clinical site or begin a new job, they'll use entirely different names for some exams.

Start making a list for your own use. (this is how I did it many moons ago)

Name of exam (aka-2nd name, 3rd name, whatever)
-Contrast type (gastrografin, thin barium, etc)
-Patient start position (upright, supine, RAO)
-Views commonly performed
-Any other notes needed (Dr Smith prefers the technologist to run the contrast for a BE, all other rads prefer to do it themselves) Anything else that will help you be ready to perform the exam.

Hope this helps.
hjh, RT