Resources for NON-Radiology Residents

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futuredoctor10

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Any very basic resources for the non-radiology resident (e.g. IM, Peds or ER) to review radiologic imaging and get better at reading, particularly for CXRs?

Also, what imaging do you think a basic hospitalist or resident should be able to read or at least take a preliminary look? I have seen us review CXR, abdominal CTs, head CTs/MRIs on rotations and obviously musculoskeletal X-ray imaging in the ER for r/o fractures etc. Anything else?

I know you should always review any image you order, but what to specifically prepare for intern year beyond being able to read a CXR?

Thanks!

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Whatever you read, just PLEASE make sure that you don't become over-confident.

Unfortunately, this is a common problem. Someone reads a 20 page pocket book about CXRs and think they are an expert in reading CXRs. I am always open to all recommendations by any clinical colleague from PAs, NPs to specialists. However, my biggest problem is when people develop wrong confidence. Like anything else, having a mediocre skill can be very dangerous if you don't know your limtations.

This happened to me last week. Stat CXR ordered for a patient because of dyspnea after line placement. It was no pneumothorax. I read it and sent the report. The hospitalist who put the line believed that there was a moderate size pneumo. She called me back and started to argue that there is pneumo. Then she came to the reading room and even named some "signs" of pneumo. Then she asked me to call IR to put a Chest tube!!!! I told her that I am in charge of screening IR procedures and obviously refused. She yelled at me and said she can not endanger the patients life because of my mistake. She left the room and called surgery. General surgery didn't see the pneumo either (obviously!!) but called me to make sure.
Half an hour later, I was reading a stat chest CT on the same patient with the indication of rule out "pathology" esp pnemothorax.
 
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Whatever you read, just PLEASE make sure that you don't become over-confident.

Unfortunately, this is a common problem. Someone reads a 20 page pocket book about CXRs and think they are an expert in reading CXRs. I am always open to all recommendations by any clinical colleague from PAs, NPs to specialists. However, my biggest problem is when people develop wrong confidence. Like anything else, having a mediocre skill can be very dangerous if you don't know your limtations.

This happened to me last week. Stat CXR ordered for a patient because of dyspnea after line placement. It was no pneumothorax. I read it and sent the report. The hospitalist who put the line believed that there was a moderate size pneumo. She called me back and started to argue that there is pneumo. Then she came to the reading room and even named some "signs" of pneumo. Then she asked me to call IR to put a Chest tube!!!! I told her that I am in charge of screening IR procedures and obviously refused. She yelled at me and said she can not endanger the patients life because of my mistake. She left the room and called surgery. General surgery didn't see the pneumo either (obviously!!) but called me to make sure.
Half an hour later, I was reading a stat chest CT on the same patient with the indication of rule out "pathology" esp pnemothorax.
Skin folds are tricky.

Felsons chest book is a quick read for rads and non rads residents.
 
Definitely Felson's for CXR is very high yield for intern year. I read it as an M4 and it was extremely helpful. I'm not sure reading anything about cross-sectional or neuro or MSK is going to be very high-yield for medicine...
 
Do many internists, when in actual practice, actually look at films beyond a CXR? I can't imagine a busy hospitalist would have time to scroll through a CT or MRI or have enough experience to make hardly any sense of it...
 
Do many internists, when in actual practice, actually look at films beyond a CXR? I can't imagine a busy hospitalist would have time to scroll through a CT or MRI or have enough experience to make hardly any sense of it...
This is in academics of course, but at my medical school many of the medicine attending's do review the actually study, even if its an MRI of an extremity. PP -- I doubt it.
 
I would direct you to this post, which includes both free online websites and some book selections.
 
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