Clinical Medicine Research

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Variation of Radiographic Protocols: An Examination of Practice During Radiography of Axial and Appendicular Skeleton in the Accra Metropolis-Ghana

Received: 30 January 2015    Accepted: 30 January 2015    Published: 02 March 2015
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Abstract

Background: Protocols provide a baseline for audit opportunity as well as evidence for clinical governance, since the use of protocols ensure compliance with documented scope of professional practice. Objectives: We determined the existence and variations of radiographic protocols for radiographic examinations of axial and appendicular skeleton in X-ray departments within the Accra Metropolis and also to establish whether there were variations in the projections taken among the departments for these examinations. Methods: A questionnaire containing mostly open ended question, was given to the radiographers who were in-charge of the departments and those in charge of the various clinical rooms of the selected hospitals and polyclinics to complete. Codes were assigned each of the departments, the examinations and the sets of projections indicated for the examinations. The data gathered was analyzed using SPSS version 16 software and presented in tabular and graphical forms. Results: In all eight X-ray departments were studied. Majority (80%) of the respondents indicated having protocols. All respondents agreed to the technical fact that examination protocols must be written and documented and copies made available in all clinical rooms. Conversely, only 20% of the respondents representing 25% of the departments surveyed had examination protocols document. Conclusion: Radiographic examination protocols were lacking in most departments. There was lack of understanding among Radiographers in the departments without protocols about the concept of examination protocols and so confused it with radiographic technique. The absence of protocols led to variations in the projections taken among the departments. It also negated the radiographers’ knowledge of radiographic techniques through the choice of wrong projections for some of the examinations, affecting the examination results and hence patient outcome.

DOI 10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11
Published in Clinical Medicine Research (Volume 4, Issue 3-1, May 2015)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiographic Practice Situation in a Developing Country

Page(s) 1-4
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Protocols, Examination, Variation, Technique; Projections

References
[1] Owen A., Hogg P. and Nightingale J. (2004) A critical analysis of a locally greed protocol Radiography, 10 (2): 139-144.
[2] Bernadette S. and Cemens M. (2006) Protocol. Webster’s New World Hacker’s Dictionary. Indiana, USA. Wiley’s Inc.
[3] The American College of Radiology. Practice guideline for general radiography. General Radiography 2008 15 (3): 17-21.
[4] Wolvekamp P. (2004) How to become a better Radiologist. The 29th Congress of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Oct. 6-9,
[5] Sandstrom S. (2003) Radiographic Technique and Projections The WHO manual of diagnostic imaging. Lund, Sweden. WHO.
[6] Schandorf C. and Tetteh G. (1998) Analysis of the status of X-ray diagnosis in Ghana. The British Journal of Radiography, 71: 1040-1048.
[7] Professional Nursing Forum (2007) Statement of Nursing Policy & Protocol (NP01), United Kingdom. Website: nursing_policies:NP01STATEMENTOFPOLICYPROTO.doc2004. Rhode, Greece.
[8] McEntee M.F and Kinsella C An examination of practice during radiography of the clavicle. Radiography 2010, 16 (2): 125-130
Author Information
  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Radiography, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

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    Antwi W. K., Gawugah J. N. K., Kyei K. A., Opoku S. Y., Arthur L., et al. (2015). Variation of Radiographic Protocols: An Examination of Practice During Radiography of Axial and Appendicular Skeleton in the Accra Metropolis-Ghana. Clinical Medicine Research, 4(3-1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11

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    ACS Style

    Antwi W. K.; Gawugah J. N. K.; Kyei K. A.; Opoku S. Y.; Arthur L., et al. Variation of Radiographic Protocols: An Examination of Practice During Radiography of Axial and Appendicular Skeleton in the Accra Metropolis-Ghana. Clin. Med. Res. 2015, 4(3-1), 1-4. doi: 10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11

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    AMA Style

    Antwi W. K., Gawugah J. N. K., Kyei K. A., Opoku S. Y., Arthur L., et al. Variation of Radiographic Protocols: An Examination of Practice During Radiography of Axial and Appendicular Skeleton in the Accra Metropolis-Ghana. Clin Med Res. 2015;4(3-1):1-4. doi: 10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11,
      author = {Antwi W. K. and Gawugah J. N. K. and Kyei K. A. and Opoku S. Y. and Arthur L. and Anim Sampong S. and Ofori E. Batsa S.},
      title = {Variation of Radiographic Protocols: An Examination of Practice During Radiography of Axial and Appendicular Skeleton in the Accra Metropolis-Ghana},
      journal = {Clinical Medicine Research},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3-1},
      pages = {1-4},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cmr.s.2015040301.11},
      abstract = {Background: Protocols provide a baseline for audit opportunity as well as evidence for clinical governance, since the use of protocols ensure compliance with documented scope of professional practice. Objectives: We determined the existence and variations of radiographic protocols for radiographic examinations of axial and appendicular skeleton in X-ray departments within the Accra Metropolis and also to establish whether there were variations in the projections taken among the departments for these examinations. Methods: A questionnaire containing mostly open ended question, was given to the radiographers who were in-charge of the departments and those in charge of the various clinical rooms of the selected hospitals and polyclinics to complete. Codes were assigned each of the departments, the examinations and the sets of projections indicated for the examinations. The data gathered was analyzed using SPSS version 16 software and presented in tabular and graphical forms. Results: In all eight X-ray departments were studied. Majority (80%) of the respondents indicated having protocols. All respondents agreed to the technical fact that examination protocols must be written and documented and copies made available in all clinical rooms. Conversely, only 20% of the respondents representing 25% of the departments surveyed had examination protocols document. Conclusion: Radiographic examination protocols were lacking in most departments. There was lack of understanding among Radiographers in the departments without protocols about the concept of examination protocols and so confused it with radiographic technique. The absence of protocols led to variations in the projections taken among the departments. It also negated the radiographers’ knowledge of radiographic techniques through the choice of wrong projections for some of the examinations, affecting the examination results and hence patient outcome.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    T1  - Variation of Radiographic Protocols: An Examination of Practice During Radiography of Axial and Appendicular Skeleton in the Accra Metropolis-Ghana
    AU  - Antwi W. K.
    AU  - Gawugah J. N. K.
    AU  - Kyei K. A.
    AU  - Opoku S. Y.
    AU  - Arthur L.
    AU  - Anim Sampong S.
    AU  - Ofori E. Batsa S.
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    PY  - 2015
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.cmr.s.2015040301.11
    T2  - Clinical Medicine Research
    JF  - Clinical Medicine Research
    JO  - Clinical Medicine Research
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    AB  - Background: Protocols provide a baseline for audit opportunity as well as evidence for clinical governance, since the use of protocols ensure compliance with documented scope of professional practice. Objectives: We determined the existence and variations of radiographic protocols for radiographic examinations of axial and appendicular skeleton in X-ray departments within the Accra Metropolis and also to establish whether there were variations in the projections taken among the departments for these examinations. Methods: A questionnaire containing mostly open ended question, was given to the radiographers who were in-charge of the departments and those in charge of the various clinical rooms of the selected hospitals and polyclinics to complete. Codes were assigned each of the departments, the examinations and the sets of projections indicated for the examinations. The data gathered was analyzed using SPSS version 16 software and presented in tabular and graphical forms. Results: In all eight X-ray departments were studied. Majority (80%) of the respondents indicated having protocols. All respondents agreed to the technical fact that examination protocols must be written and documented and copies made available in all clinical rooms. Conversely, only 20% of the respondents representing 25% of the departments surveyed had examination protocols document. Conclusion: Radiographic examination protocols were lacking in most departments. There was lack of understanding among Radiographers in the departments without protocols about the concept of examination protocols and so confused it with radiographic technique. The absence of protocols led to variations in the projections taken among the departments. It also negated the radiographers’ knowledge of radiographic techniques through the choice of wrong projections for some of the examinations, affecting the examination results and hence patient outcome.
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