Gaps with gaps

With the end of my last clinical block, I very privately wished that it went on for a little longer. Just a little. Because there is still heaps to learn, even about the basic stuff.

Especially about exposure factors. I tend not to memorise them since I just use the preset numbers, but what if you a special projection that's not preset? What if you're doing mobile radiography on ICU patients where the machines have to have the exposure set manually? It's an embarrassing gap in my knowledge, especially when the radiographers ask me what exposure to use.

Exposure can be broken down into two factors. Technically, three factors, but remembering two factors is easier and works the same way. You have your 'kV' for kilovoltage and your 'mAs' which is milliamperes per second. The first is how 'penetrating' your x-rays are and the second is how 'much' x-rays are produced. A really thick patient not only need enough power to punch through (ie high kV) but also needs enough x-rays to make a decent image (ie high mAs).

Some anatomy need more power and more x-rays than others, so there's a wide range of exposures to cover the human body. Later into my clinical I was starting to set my own exposures, just to remind me of them and basically see if I've given enough to get diagnostic images. Plus the pathology that you learn about can be quite interesting. Still, six weeks was a mighty long time.

And now I have to keep my eyes and ears open for a PDY postion. Ideally staying in Sydney would be nice, although I'm keeping my options open and checking interstate as well. But before that, I'm going to be blasting off to Terrigal tmr for a nice little 4 day vacation with uni friends. Then paintball after the first week of uni, then a friend's 21st, then David Copperfield at Acer Arena, then my own 21st...

Bugger it, I'll just have a BBQ to celebrate.