The tough job market continues to affect me. I got hired at the VA as a fee-based CT technologist on a part time basis. I was told that I would work 5 days a week every other week until the two full-time open positions were filled. This was supposed to take me at least into the fall of this year. In an unprecedented turn of events, the usually ...

Jobs are difficult to get these days and it end ups being more about who you know, not what you know. I have my foot in the door at the VA because of a former colleague. She actually helped me get my first CT job right out of school and now she’s helping me out again. I guess I’ve impressed her somewhere along the way. This is an important ...

In Canada, CT scans will now be more readily available to four legged patients. Charlottetown’s Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island is testing a new CT machine that will be used to diagnose animals. In the past, only the critical cases were taken to a local human hospital under sedation and scanned. This new machine will be ...

Technology and medicine continue to collide with a new app that was just cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is called Mobile MIM and it can turn an iPhone or an iPad into a handy diagnostic instrument. It allows practitioners to view CT scans, MRIs, and other technologies when they are away from their work stations. It can also ...

It is with great anticipation that many Americans welcome opening day of the 2012 NFL Season. With all of the fun that comes with tailgates and parties, the health of these athletes must not be overlooked. The American Academy of Neurology just released a study that confirms previously held beliefs “… that head injuries cause neurologic ...

As the NFL preseason gives way to the regular season, we are reminded of the important role that imaging plays in sports. Michael Vick, of the Philadelphia Eagles, injured his ribs and left thumb in his last two games. He received x-rays of his ribs and his thumb while still at the stadiums. Both came up negative. Later in the week Vick ...

As much as I miss my former colleagues and my job, I don't miss working on holidays. I was scheduled to work on Christmas from 7a-7p. I usually signed up to work this holiday so my co-workers with children could have it off. Although most stores and businesses close early today, hospitals are always open. Don't take for granted that whatever ...

You can say just about anything as long as you say it nicely. Our word choice and tone of voice drastically affect the reactions and outcomes we get when communicating. When speaking to patients it is very important to make certain they hear us and are receptive to our instructions so we can get the best x-ray or scan possible. Portable chest ...

When most of us consider medical radiation exposure we first think of CT scans, fluoroscopic and interventional procedures, and emergent x-rays. I think many of us forget to consider the x-rays we get at the dentist's office. It is important to ask your dentist why you need any x-ray that you might be receiving. Don't ever be afraid to challenge a ...

It is a well known fact in the radiology community that the amount of radiation from a CT is much higher than that of a traditional x-ray. Doctors working in emergency rooms order numerous CT scans each day hoping to diagnose, save lives, and avoid law suits. Working in CT in a busy ER there is never a shortage of patients who have orders for ...