do u think it is still necessary for radiologist to read in the dark??

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Sorry it this seems like a dumb question. I am only a first year resident but I always wish I could just turn on my workstation lights on full and read. I always get so sleepy in the dark!! Will I be missing anything if I do tihs? I know it was necessary when actual films were used so that u could see them, but since the images are on the computer now, it doesn't have to be dark does it? I would imagine u could still see fractures etc just as well or if not better. Am I missing something big? Are radiologist still sitting in the dark just because that is how the conventionally did it in the old days??

Originally Posted by jellygreen2001

Sorry it this seems like a dumb question. I am only a first year resident but I always wish I could just turn on my workstation lights on full and read. I always get so sleepy in the dark!! Will I be missing anything if I do tihs? I know it was necessary when actual films were used so that u could see them, but since the images are on the computer now, it doesn't have to be dark does it? I would imagine u could still see fractures etc just as well or if not better. Am I missing something big? Are radiologist still sitting in the dark just because that is how the conventionally did it in the old days??

I do not know that you are really radiology resident or not. Sleepy in the dark is the impression of medical students because it really happens when you are the observer. If you are the operator never ever you get sleepy.

Anyway, with the old generation of monitors you needed the dark room. With the new generation, you need the lights to be deems. It can not by like all the lights on, but you can have some light in the room without any problem.

Dark reading room is what clinician's call out work place and they are right. I myself rather work in the dark room hours and hours that running a clinic with all the lights on for 2 hours.

Good Luck

thanks for the answer, right now they are making us do a lot of obersvation, so basically like a med student right now! Maybe that is why I get tired It is true though when I look at films on my own, it is not too bad. Just wish we could work with all the lights on.

Originally Posted by jellygreen2001

thanks for the answer, right now they are making us do a lot of obersvation, so basically like a med student right now! Maybe that is why I get tired It is true though when I look at films on my own, it is not too bad. Just wish we could work with all the lights on.

When observing it's easy to switch into passive mode, which can be sedating.

You can start identifying all the structures in your head. Just follow them as the screen changes and appreciate relations. That should keep your mind busy and active.

Then try to identify what is normal and abnormal. You can ask the same question many times here: what is it about this area that makes it normal, or abnormal? If abnormal, what could it be?

These should keep you busy and awake enough throughout the session.

Good luck. Radiology is actually quite hard, but plenty of fun learning.

Originally Posted by jellygreen2001

thanks for the answer, right now they are making us do a lot of obersvation, so basically like a med student right now! Maybe that is why I get tired It is true though when I look at films on my own, it is not too bad. Just wish we could work with all the lights on.

You will be fine.


When you start to drive yourself, you never ever get sleepy.


It is like playing game on your laptop.


Everything new takes some time for you to get used to. Radiology is a different world than internal medicine. You will get used to it soon and will enjoy it.

I was wondering this myself the other day. One of my attendings worked with the lights on, and I didn't notice any effect on how images appeared. Is it just an old habit that keeps getting passed down?

Wouldn't lights cause some glare on your monitor?

Yes, it is better to read in dim ambient light than full on lighting. Too much or too little room light generally decreases accuracy. There has been a lot of work done about the optimal amount of lighting to view studies. For example:

http://www.ajronline.org/content/188/2/W177.full

Also depends on the modality you are reading. Probably it is more required for X ray and CT. Less for MR and least for Nucs.

If you have new generation of monitors the glare is much much less on the monitor.


In conclusion dim light works better and you will get used to it.

Originally Posted by Shifty B

Yes, it is better to read in dim ambient light than full on lighting. Too much or too little room light generally decreases accuracy. There has been a lot of work done about the optimal amount of lighting to view studies. For example:

http://www.ajronline.org/content/188/2/W177.full

Lol. What a garbage study. No difference found between the MSK radiologists at different light. Yea im not surprised academic chest and neuro guys miss wrist fractures (and even their differences were minimum given how tiny the sample size was in this study)

Regardless of how you feel about that particular study, it cites a number of studies that corroborate the value of having a low but not completely dark amount of ambient light. There are many more, and that was the first one that I found via Google.

Just like watching a movie on TV is better w/ the lights dim, so is reading a radiology study better w/ the lights dim.

If you're falling asleep, then you must not be practicing radiology, I bet you're an observer. Don't you think performing an appendectomy is different than watching somebody performing an appendectomy? Don't you think starring in a movie is different from watching the movie? Don't you think playing basketball is different than watching somebody play basketball? Don't you think having sex is different than watching somebody else have sex?

Originally Posted by penguin24

Don't you think having sex is different than watching somebody else have sex?

Did you just compare radiology to sex?!?!?

I just read that the reason that radar areas are bathed in in blue light is to help eye fatigue for the technicians on long shifts.

.

Originally Posted by johnnydrama

Did you just compare radiology to sex?!?!?

I was trying to emphasize the huge difference btwn the two.

Originally Posted by penguin24

I was trying to emphasize the huge difference btwn the two.

I was going to say, that's either some fantastic radiology or some truly awful sex you're having.