Perspectives on diagnostic radiographers' motivation for becoming researchers: A qualitative focus group study.

INTRODUCTION: This paper presents motivational factors to engage, start a research project and pursue a research career. The study aimed to investigate radiographer's motivation for engaging in research. METHODS: Eight radiographers from Denmark with experience in research were interviewed in a 2-h focus group interview in October 2023. This qualitative approach was selected to allow the participants to discuss their opinions and values. The discussions were audio recorded and transcribed before the thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: The analysis revealed six main themes: the importance of radiographic research, the importance of radiographers' participation in research, research radiographers' motivation, funding and participation in research projects, demotivation and difficulties, and facilitating radiographic research in the future. CONCLUSION: The participants were motivated by different factors. The participants found both research in radiography and radiographers' participation in research-related activities important, although they found lack of support from managers, funding, and time to be demotivational factors. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: This study contributes to the limited literature on motivational factors for becoming a researcher within radiography.

Radiographers use of social media - SoMe in a Nordic perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Social media (SoMe) is widely used as a communication platform in everyday life. Also, healthcare professionals have embraced SoMe as a communication tool for both peers and patients. It is becoming an interactive tool for discussing professionals' issues and a place where learning and education occur. This study explores the specific patterns of SoMe use for radiographers' in the Nordic countries. The aim of this survey was to investigate radiographers use of social platforms in a professional setting. METHODS: A 29-item survey was prepared, and pilot-tested. The survey was produced in Danish a language that all Nordic countries master. In general, most Nordic languages are very similar. The survey was distributed by online platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and also distributed by newsletters by the Norwegian and Danish national radiographers societies. All data was collected anonymously. An Ethical Research approval was obtained from the University of Southern Denmark. RESULTS: A total of 242 respondents completed the survey (Denmark n = 183, Norway n = 48, Sweden n = 8, and n = 3 from other Scandinavian countries). The respondents included 186 females, 52 males and four were undisclosed. On average, the respondents spent approximately 2 h and 23 min daily on SoMe, with 27 min specifically dedicated to content relevant to radiographers. Facebook was the preferred platform with 93 % (n = 226). A total of 5.4 % (n = 13) respondents had experienced contact from patients and/or next of kin, while 92 % (n = 222) reported no such interactions and 2.9 % (n = 7) were undisclosed. A total of 52.8 % (n = 128) used SoMe in relation to courses, conferences, or online meetings. This shows that time spent on content relevant to radiographers imply that SoMe can be a relevant tool for reaching radiographers. CONCLUSION: The survey demonstrates radiographers' use of SoMe for personal and professional interest, with Facebook as the preferred social media platform. SoMe were mostly used during courses, conferences, or online meetings with half of the respondent reported using SoMe platforms during working hours. These results underscore the untapped potential of SoMe in professional healthcare settings. Additionally, the study offers insight into current practices, facilitating comparisons to identify trends in SoMe usage within the radiographer community. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings advocate for the strategic use of SoMe by radiographers', emphasizing professional networking and knowledge sharing. However, clear guidelines are necessary to ensure patient confidentiality and data security in these digital interactions.

Virtual reality simulation for mastery learning of wrist radiograph technique.

INTRODUCTION: Virtual reality (VR) simulation is a technology that empowers students and radiographers to practice radiography in a virtual environment that resembles real-life clinical scenarios. The purpose of this randomised study was to examine the relationship between clinical specialty and the ability to assess and obtain a lateral wrist radiograph using a VR simulator. METHODS: Radiographers and radiography students were recruited from the EFRS Research Hub at the 2024 European Congress of Radiology. After completing a background questionnaire, participants entered a VR simulator where they assessed lateral wrist radiographs and, if necessary, attempted a retake. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate the relationship between specialties and participants' ability to assess positioning and perform retakes. Rank-biserial correlation estimated the relationship between participants' ability to reposition the VR patient and their VR experience and self-perceived confidence in wrist radiograph positioning. RESULTS: The cohort included 173 participants from 14 specialties across 21 countries. There was a borderline significant trend between clinical specialty and correct positioning assessment (p = 0.052) and between self-perceived confidence in acquiring wrist radiographs and repositioning for a retake (p = 0.052). Neither clinical specialty (p = 0.480) nor previous VR experience (p = 0.409) correlated with ability to reposition for a retake. CONCLUSION: While results indicated a potential correlation between participants' ability to position a VR patient and both clinical specialty and confidence in wrist radiography, these trends were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that VR holds promise for radiography training, though further research is necessary to explore the factors that influence performance and learning. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The incorporation of VR technology into standard radiography training programs could potentially improve patient outcomes by ensuring that radiography students are more skilled at acquiring quality radiographs prior to their first clinical practice. It should be noted though, that knowledge on positioning criteria and anatomy is an advantage when practicing correct positioning in a VR simulator.

Design of a 3D printed coronary artery model for CT optimization.

INTRODUCTION: To design a custom phantom of the coronary arteries to optimize CT coronary angiography (CCTA) protocols. METHODS: Characteristics of the left and right coronary arteries (mean Hounsfield Unit (HU) values and diameters) were collected from consecutive CCTA examinations (n = 43). Four different materials (two mixtures of glycerine, gelatine and water, pig hearts, Ecoflex™ silicone) were scanned inside a Lungman phantom using the CCTA protocol to find the closest model to in vivo data. A 3D printed model of the coronary artery tree was created using CCTA data by exporting a CT volume rendering into Autodesk Meshmixer™ software. The model was placed in an acid bath for 5 h, then covered in Ecoflex™, which was removed after drying. Both the Ecoflex™ and pig heart were later filled with a mixture of contrast (Visipaque 320 mg I/ml), NaCl and gelatin and scanned with different levels of tube current and iterative reconstruction (ASiR-V). Objective (HU, noise and size (vessel diameter) and subjective analysis were performed on all scans. RESULTS: The gelatine mixtures had HU values of 130 and 129, Ecoflex™ 65 and the pig heart 56. At the different mA/ASiR-V levels the contrast filled Ecoflex™ had a mean HU 318 ± 4, noise 47±7HU and diameter of 4.4 mm. The pig heart had a mean HU of 209 ± 5, noise 38±4HU and a diameter of 4.4 mm. With increasing iterative reconstruction level the visualisation of the pig heart arteries decreased so no measurements could be performed. CONCLUSION: The use of a 3D printed model of the arteries and casting with the Ecoflex™ silicone is the most suitable solution for a custom-designed phantom. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Custom designed phantoms using 3D printing technology enable cost effective optimisation of CT protocols.

Organ-based tube current modulation in chest CT. A comparison of three vendors.

INTRODUCTION: Organ-based tube current modulation (OBTCM) is designed for anterior dose reduction in Computed Tomography (CT). The purpose was to assess dose reduction capability in chest CT using three organ dose modulation systems at different kVp settings. Furthermore, noise, diagnostic image quality and tumour detection was assessed. METHODS: A Lungman phantom was scanned with and without OBTCM at 80-135/140 kVp using three CT scanners; Canon Aquillion Prime, GE Revolution CT and Siemens Somatom Flash. Thermo-luminescent dosimeters were attached to the phantom surface and all scans were repeated five times. Image noise was measured in three ROIs at the level of the carina. Three observers visually scored the images using a fivestep scale. A Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was used for statistical analysis of differences. RESULTS: Using the GE revolution CT scanner, dose reductions between 1.10 mSv (12%) and 1.56 mSv (24%) (p < 0.01) were found in the anterior segment and no differences posteriorly and laterally. Total dose reductions between 0.64 (8%) and 0.91 mSv (13%) were found across kVp levels (p < 0.00001). Maximum noise increase with OBTCM was 0.8 HU. With the Canon system, anterior dose reductions of 6-10% and total dose reduction of 0.74-0.76 mSv across kVp levels (p < 0.001) were found with a maximum noise increase of 1.1 HU. For the Siemens system, dose increased by 22-51% anteriorly; except at 100 kVp where no dose difference was found. Noise decreased by 1 to 1.5 HU. CONCLUSION: Organ based tube current modulation is capable of anterior and total dose reduction with minimal loss of image quality in vendors that do not increase posterior dose. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This research highlights the importance of being familiar with dose reduction technologies.