Latest news with #radiographers
Medscape
01-08-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Ultra-Low-Dose CT Outperforms Chest X-Rays in Paediatric CF
TOPLINE: At similar radiation doses, ultra-low-dose CT (ULDCT) achieved superior image quality using AI-enhanced iterative reconstruction than chest x-rays for assessing cystic fibrosis-related lung disease in children. About 88% of healthcare professionals reported greater confidence in diagnosing cystic fibrosis-related lung disease when using CT images rather than x-rays. METHODOLOGY: Researchers recruited 75 observers (50 radiographers and 25 radiologists) from 24 countries who assessed the image quality of 10 randomly selected paired ULDCT and chest x-ray images from a cohort of 70 children with cystic fibrosis (age, 3-18 years). ULDCT scans were acquired at 80 kV, 10 mA with deep learning iterative reconstruction to produce images at lower radiation doses. Image quality analysis was performed using an image quality survey that was organised into four distinct sections and hosted on DetectED-X. Observers rated images on the basis of a 0-4 scale rating system for quality and a 5-point Likert scale for diagnostic confidence evaluation. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 88% of observers reported higher levels of confidence with ULDCT (P < .05) than with chest x-rays (P < .001) in diagnosing cystic fibrosis-related lung disease, with comparable radiation doses between the two modalities. The combined visual grading analysis indicated higher image quality for ULDCT images, with radiologists rating ULDCT significantly superior to chest x-rays for lung pathology detection (area under the curve, 0.63; P = .03). Overall, 69% vs 50% of observers rated the quality of ULDCT images vs chest x-rays as either adequate (score 3) or better than needed (score 4). No significant differences in anatomic visualisation were observed between ULDCT and chest x-rays (P = .306). IN PRACTICE: "ULDCT provides superior IQ [image quality] compared to CXR [chest x-rays] in CwCF [children with cystic fibrosis], while maintaining comparable radiation doses," the authors wrote. "ULDCT also significantly improves diagnostic confidence, highlighting its potential as a viable alternative to CXR," they concluded. SOURCE: This study was led by Niamh Moore, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. It was published online on July 25, 2025, in European Radiology. LIMITATIONS: Chest x-rays were used as a comparator instead of conventional dose CT, and exposures were not patient specific for ethical reasons. The recruitment of observers from different research hubs having varying illumination levels affected image quality ratings. Additional limitations included the small sample size and selection bias. DISCLOSURES: This study received open access funding provided by the IReL Consortium. One author reported having a relationship with DetectED-X. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
The Guardian
16-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
NHS staff unsettled by patients filming care and posting videos on social media
NHS staff have voiced concern about the growing numbers of patients who are filming themselves undergoing medical treatment and uploading it to TikTok and Instagram. Radiographers, who take X-rays and scans, fear the trend could compromise the privacy of other patients being treated nearby and lead to staff having their work discussed online. The Society of Radiographers (SoR) has gone public with its unease after a spate of incidents in which patients, or someone with them in the hospital, began filming their care. On one occasion a radiology department assistant from the south coast was inserting a cannula into a patient who had cancer when their 19-year-old daughter began filming. 'She wanted to record the cannulation because she thought it would be entertaining on social media. But she didn't ask permission,' the staff member said. 'I spent the weekend afterwards worrying: did I do my job properly? I know I did, but no one's perfect all the time and this was recorded. I don't think I slept for the whole weekend.' They were also concerned that a patient in the next bay was giving consent for a colonoscopy – an invasive diagnostic test – at the same time as the daughter was filming her mother close by. 'That could all have been recorded on the film, including names and dates of birth,' they said. Ashley d'Aquino, a therapeutic radiographer in London, said a colleague had agreed to take photographs for a patient, 'but when the patient handed over her phone the member of staff saw that the patient had also been covertly recording her, to publish on her cancer blog. 'As NHS staff we wear name badges, so our names will be visible in any video. It makes people feel very uncomfortable and anxious.' Dean Rogers, the SoR's director of industrial strategy and member relations, urged all NHS trusts and boards to ensure that patients know they need permission from staff before filming. 'As healthcare professionals we need to think: does that recording breach the confidentiality of other patients? Does it breach our ability to deliver care?' Dr Katharine Halliday, the president of the Royal College of Radiologists, said: 'In my experience, rules about filming and recording are there to protect the privacy and dignity of patients and staff and should be followed accordingly. 'In a clinical environment, you will be surrounded by patients in their most vulnerable moments, staff focusing on life-saving work and sensitive personal information. It's important to be mindful of this and always seek permission for photography, filming or recording – even if it's just for your own personal use.' The Department of Health and Social Care was asked for comment.
