Chiari Malformation

On Friday, we had a patient that was complaining of headaches on the left side. When we scanned a brain with and without contrast the tech I was working with noticed a Chiari malformation, which is where the cerebellar tonsils are being pressed down by the brain. We went over what it was, when it happens (when the brain and skull are developing), and what can happen when you have one. An example is when the malformation presses on the spinal canal and causes a blockage of signals to the brain. It was really interesting to me to see an anomaly like this.

We also scanned orbits, pituitary, a wrist, a knee, a thoracic spine, and a lumbar spine. The thoracic spine was on a patient that had a very high pain tolerance!! His spine looked horrible! There were so many bulging discs and degenerative changes.

unique exams

My last clinical day was a very unique day. I had an MRI ST neck with, MRI ST pelvis to check for a mass/lesion in the uterus, and an MRI chest exam to check the attachment of the pectoralis muscle. These exams are pretty uncommon at the facility that I do my clinicals with the exception of the ST neck. The pectoralis muscle attachment exam was extremely difficult to do becuase of the air in the lungs and the motion of the heart. Despite the difficulty, the images turned out pretty well!

CT boards

I PASSED MY CT BOARDS!!!!!!!!

I was so nervous before taking the exam and even during the exam. There were a lot of questions that I had no idea what the answer was. I was definitely sweating before I pressed the next button after the exam.

I'm so excited that I have CT completely done and now I just have to worry about MRI and my Bachelors Degree.

Needle sticks

I am now beginning to feel a lot better with doing complete exams from start to finish including needle sticks! I thought it would take me a while to learn a technique in needle sticks, but I try to do stick every single person that comes in so I can get the practice. One of the techs that I work with told me that if I miss the vein to anchor the vein down hard, pull the needle out a little, then go to the right until you get blood return (I guess it's because I'm right handed). I really don't know how, but it's worked for me.

Monday clinicals

Monday clinicals were very busy, so I got to see and do a lot. Most of the cases were usual head, sinus, chest, abdomen, and pelvis studies, but we had two cases that were soft tissue necks!

This week I had to pick up hours at work and miss out on one day of my clinicals, so now I think I'm behind on my hours. I feel like there is not enough hours in the day!

Hopefully after next week my life will calm down a little so I can dedicate more time towards my education.

Update on MRI and CT clinicals

This past week I got a competency on an MRI C-spine. I am now understanding that a lot of the procedures are set up the same way, but I'm still trying to understand how to revise the protocols that are already in the computer if we have to do any additional views, etc. MRI is still extremely complicated, but I am slowly getting it.

I am still trying to study for my CT boards, so I'm still working on the Toshiba CT scanner on Mondays. The Toshiba scanner computer is not hooked up to the automatic injector so the delay times are not shown on the computer screen. I feel that having this feature challenges me to remember the delay times of each exam. I also feel that since I am working at an outpatient facility, I don't get to see as many exams as I would like. Most of the exams I see are basic chest, abdomen, pelvic, and head CT's with the occasional PE chest, extremity, and soft tissue neck.

My 1st MRI comp

This week I got my very first comp in MRI!! The comp was a knee and I did everything including filming. That may not seem like a lot, but It meant a lot to me. I might not know everything about MRI, but it is starting to make a little more sense the more and more I do exams.