Page 26 - IMPRESSION Newsletter April19
P. 26
IMAGING BASICS
D
Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Places
Things are incredibly hectic. It seems like two The images are definitely not textbook, but you
buses collided and all the patients came to still look at them in awe as if they were a
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for a masterpiece of modern imaging. Like a prisoner
complete trauma work up. Eager and tasting freedom again as if it were the first time,
undaunted, you are flying through exams so you return the patient to the Emergency Room.
quickly that you know your patients’ names While the incident depicted may be a little bit of
better than your own. Just when it seems like an exaggeration, there are often times where we
there might be light at the end of the tunnel, it see a patient and wonder, “how does that provider
happens. Out of nowhere, you get an order for expect me to do this?” These instances can be
zygomatic arches on a combative 68-year-old frustrating for any technologist, but technologists
kyphotic patient with a blood alcohol level of are not the only people to experience these
0.21. You see the order and suddenly begin exasperating occurrences. Radiologists often face
questioning not only the sanity of the ordering a similar problem. In lieu of the absurd
provider, but also what monstrous act you combination of difficult patient with ridiculous
must have committed in a past life to deserve exam, the radiologist’s battle is to produce a
such an atrocious fate. Try as you might, you diagnostic report from an exam that is anything
find there is no way out of the exam, and you but diagnostic. The most common reason for this
finally succumb to the cruel hand dealt to you. scenario is that the image fits the needs of the
After 20 minutes of combat, you are finally provider closest to the display at the time of the
able to take the first x-ray that is close to exam.
passable. A glimmer of hope ignites inside a Similar to being stuck between a rock and a hard
corner of your heart, and you feel that you place, the technologist is stuck between the
may be able to work this miracle after all. provider and the radiologist. In these situations, it
Reinvigorated, you enter the odoriferous is encouraged that the technologist use their
ethanol cloud pouring from every pore of your professional judgment and do what is best for the
adversary and you reengage the patient. The patient. the technologist’s attention. With that in
combat rages for another 30 minutes until mind, the goal of the technologist should be to
you are finally able to complete the exam.
