Participants will examine the three stages of digital image production—signal, latent, and displayed images—and clarify essential terminology related to brightness, contrast, magnification, noise, distortion, sharpness, dynamic range, and bit depth. The course also strengthens diagnostic skills through review of critical and incidental findings on plain abdominal radiographs, with emphasis on recognizing pathologies and subtle radiographic signs.
In addition, the program addresses the importance of effective clinical mentoring, offering practical strategies for feedback, evaluation, documentation, and supporting diverse learning styles. Attendees will reflect on teaching methods and explore mentoring’s long-term impact on students, programs, and the profession.
Finally, the course prepares imaging professionals to respond to cybersecurity threats. Participants will learn to distinguish routine downtime from cyber-attack disruptions and implement operational strategies for maintaining workflow, documentation, reconciliation, billing, and archiving during and after system outages.
*All webinars are held in Central Standard Time and hosted through Zoom.
Beth L. Vealé, Ph.D., RT(R)(QM)
Let’s Talk Digital Imaging!
Outline:
Stages of Digital Image Production:
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- Signal Image: Receptor exposure, subject contrast, geometrical magnification.
- Latent Image: Stored receptor data and contribution to final image.
- Displayed Image: Post-processed output, brightness rescaling, LUT-based contrast, display magnification.
Digital vs. Traditional Terminology:
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- Equipment-related terms vs. clinical image-quality terms.
- Expanding essential image qualities: brightness, contrast, magnification, noise, shape distortion, sharpness.
Dynamic Range and Bit Depth:
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- Distinguishing hardware bit depth from system-wide dynamic range.
- Recommendations for standard terminology in clinical practice.
Beth L. Vealé, Ph.D., RT(R)(QM)
Critical Findings on Plain Abdominal Radiographs
Outline:
- Definition of plain abdominal radiograph and incidental/secondary findings.
- Pathologies and signs.
- Conclusion.
Cindy Kramer, MA Ed., RT(R)(QM)
Golden Rule of Clinical Mentoring
Outline:
Introduction to the book Greater Than Yourself by Steve Fauber
- The Golden Rule in mentoring.
- Evaluating “See one, Do one, Teach one.”
- Reflection on teaching methods.
Importance of Effective Mentoring
- Impact on future professionals.
- Adapting to technological changes.
Learning Process
- Learning styles and student anxiety.
Teaching Skills
- Providing constructive and consistent feedback.
- Giving “tough love” when necessary.
- Documentation practices.
Mentoring Impact on Educational Programs
- Completing performance and competency evaluations.
Angie Chapman, MSRS, CRA, RT(R)(CT)(MR), FAHRA
Surviving a Cyber Attack in Radiology
Background and Types of Cyber Attacks:
- Unauthorized access, malware, phishing, social engineering, DDoS.
Impact on Healthcare:
- Targeting patient information and medical devices.
- Increasing attack frequency and severity.
Normal Downtime vs. Cyber Attack Downtime:
- Duration, operational impact, and warning differences.
Operational Strategies During a Cyber Attack:
- Staff redeployment (“army of runners”).
- Central command center setup.
- On-site radiologist coverage.
Adapting Documentation and Workflow:
- Customizing downtime forms.
- Managing patient images and reports physically.
Reconciliation, Billing, and Archiving:
- Manual entry of patient data and report finalization.
- Pre-negotiated billing extensions.
- Physical archiving of imaging media.
Objectives:
- Define the three stages of digital image production and their roles in workflow.
- Differentiate signal image factors from displayed image controls.
- Identify and separate equipment, physics, and clinical image-quality terms.
- Expand understanding of essential image qualities for comprehensive evaluation.
- Recognize anomalies on abdominal radiographs.
- Describe incidental findings on plain abdominal radiographs.
- Analyze radiographs for unusual findings.
- Identify the role and significance of a mentor.
- Appreciate mentoring’s impact on the profession.
- Recognize teachable and inherent traits of students/coworkers.
- Develop tools to enhance mentoring skills.
- Understand evaluation mechanisms used in educational programs.
- Define cyber-attacks and common types targeting healthcare.
- Recognize vulnerabilities in healthcare systems.
- Differentiate cyber-attack downtime from normal system downtime.
- Identify strategies for maintaining imaging operations during outages.
- Understand procedures for handling patient data and reports.
- Grasp steps for reconciliation and billing after attacks.
This program provides AHRA Category A continuing education credit for radiologic technologists recognized by the ARRT and various licensure states. You must attend the entire program to receive your certificate of completion.
This live, instructor-directed course meets the Texas Medical Board requirements for all registered Medical Radiologic Technologists. Please refer to the TMB website for more information.
AHEC Faculty
At Advanced Health Education Center, we take pride in our dynamic faculty, each hailing from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. Our educators are not only experienced but also bring a wealth of knowledge in their expertise, ensuring a rich and comprehensive learning experience for all. Committed, knowledgeable, and passionately dedicated to their respective modalities, our instructors embody the spirit of excellence that defines the AHEC experience.