Radiology Assistant Course

Lesson 1 • Medical Terminology for Radiology

Introduces anatomical planes, directional terms, and imaging-specific vocabulary. Accurate terminology is essential for reporting and clinical communication.

Lesson 2 • Professional and Ethical Standards

Defines scope of practice, patient rights, and ethical obligations for radiology assistants. Connects professional conduct to safe, patient-centred care.

Lesson 3 • Basic Radiation Physics

Covers electromagnetic spectrum, X-ray production, and beam properties. Provides the physics foundation needed for all subsequent imaging chapters.

Lesson 4 • History and Role of Radiology

Traces radiology from X-ray discovery to modern multimodality imaging. Establishes context for the radiology assistant's professional scope.

Lesson 1 • ALARA Principle and Dose Optimization

Applies the ALARA framework to minimise patient and staff exposure. Links dose optimisation strategies to image quality trade-offs.

Lesson 2 • Protective Equipment and Barriers

Covers lead aprons, thyroid shields, gonad protection, and structural barriers. Students select appropriate protection for each imaging scenario.

Lesson 3 • Radiation Monitoring and Reporting

Describes dosimetry devices, monitoring programmes, and occupational dose limits. Students interpret dosimeter reports and respond to overexposure events.

Lesson 4 • Dose Measurement and Units

Defines absorbed dose, effective dose, and equivalent dose with standard units. Accurate dose quantification underpins radiographic exposure monitoring and reporting.

Lesson 1 • Patient Assessment and History Taking

Covers clinical history review, allergy screening, and pre-procedure assessment. Accurate assessment prevents adverse events and guides imaging protocol selection.

Lesson 2 • Venous Access and IV Techniques

Covers peripheral IV insertion, line maintenance, and power injector use. Competent IV access is required for contrast-enhanced imaging procedures.

Lesson 3 • Emergency Response in Radiology

Prepares students to recognise and respond to contrast reactions, cardiac events, and falls. Rapid, protocol-driven response minimises patient harm.

Lesson 4 • Contrast Media Administration

Explains iodinated and gadolinium-based contrast agents, dosing, and routes. Students recognise contraindications and manage adverse reactions.

Lesson 1 • Chest Radiograph Anatomy

Identifies cardiac silhouette, lung fields, mediastinum, and bony thorax on PA and lateral views. Chest X-ray is the most common radiograph in clinical practice.

Lesson 2 • Abdominal and Pelvic Anatomy

Maps solid organs, bowel gas patterns, and pelvic structures on plain films. Recognising normal patterns enables detection of obstruction and free air.

Lesson 3 • Common Pathological Findings

Introduces radiographic signs of pneumonia, fractures, effusions, and obstruction. Students flag abnormalities for radiologist attention using standardised language.

Lesson 4 • Systematic Image Review Approach

Teaches a structured search pattern to ensure complete image evaluation. Consistent methodology reduces perceptual errors and missed findings.

Lesson 1 • CT Protocol Selection and Optimisation

Guides protocol choice based on clinical indication, anatomy, and dose constraints. Appropriate protocols balance diagnostic yield with radiation exposure.

Lesson 2 • CT-Guided Procedures and Assistance

Covers biopsy, drainage, and localisation procedures performed under CT guidance. Students prepare equipment, position patients, and monitor during procedures.

Lesson 3 • CT Anatomy and Pathology Recognition

Reviews cross-sectional anatomy of chest, abdomen, pelvis, and head on CT. Students identify key structures and flag acute findings for radiologist review.

Lesson 4 • CT Scanner Technology and Components

Explains gantry, detector arrays, X-ray tube, and data acquisition systems. Understanding hardware enables informed protocol and troubleshooting decisions.

Lesson 1 • MRI Anatomy and Pathology Overview

Reviews brain, spine, musculoskeletal, and abdominal MRI anatomy. Students identify normal structures and common pathological signal changes.

Lesson 2 • MRI Sequences and Contrast Mechanisms

Describes spin echo, gradient echo, FLAIR, DWI, and gadolinium enhancement. Sequence selection determines tissue contrast and diagnostic sensitivity.

Lesson 3 • MRI Procedure Assistance and Optimisation

Covers coil selection, patient preparation, artefact reduction, and scan monitoring. Effective assistance improves image quality and patient throughput.

Lesson 4 • MRI Safety Screening and Protocols

Covers ferromagnetic hazard zones, implant screening, and patient safety questionnaires. Rigorous screening prevents life-threatening projectile and implant heating events.

Lesson 1 • Non-Vascular Interventional Procedures

Covers percutaneous drainage, biliary procedures, and nephrostomy tube placement. Students assist with image-guided access and post-procedure care.

Lesson 2 • Vascular Interventional Procedures

Introduces angiography, angioplasty, stenting, and embolisation procedures. Students prepare angiography suites, manage catheters, and monitor patients.

Lesson 3 • Fluoroscopy Equipment and Principles

Explains image intensifiers, flat-panel detectors, pulsed fluoroscopy, and dose management. Equipment knowledge enables safe operation and dose reduction.

Lesson 4 • Contrast Studies and GI Procedures

Covers barium swallow, upper GI series, small bowel follow-through, and enema studies. Students prepare contrast, position patients, and assist with image acquisition.

Lesson 1 • Quality Assurance in Medical Imaging

Covers equipment performance testing, image quality metrics, and QA programme management. Systematic QA ensures consistent diagnostic image quality across all modalities.

Lesson 2 • Workflow Management and Efficiency

Applies lean principles to imaging workflow, scheduling, and turnaround time reduction. Efficient workflows improve patient access and departmental productivity.

Lesson 3 • Radiation Dose Monitoring Programmes

Describes dose tracking systems, dose registries, and optimisation audits. Students analyse dose data to identify outliers and drive protocol improvements.

Lesson 4 • Incident Reporting and Root Cause Analysis

Teaches near-miss reporting, root cause analysis, and corrective action planning. A safety culture depends on transparent reporting and systematic error analysis.