Original Release Date: July 1, 2009
Expiration Date: July 1, 2012
10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES FOR EACH TOPIC

TOPIC 1: Evaluation of Skeletal Trauma - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes proper radiographic evaluation of skeletal trauma.
2. Recognize the limitations of plain radiographs in demonstrating acute fractures.
3. Determine which additional imaging studies may be used when plain radiographic studies fail to demonstrate a suspected fracture.
4. Describe fractures using proper terminology.

TOPIC 2: Cervical Spine: Acute and Chronic - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Triage patients presenting with trauma or neck pain regarding the need for imaging. 2. Discriminate between stable and unstable cervical spine injuries.
3. Decide which patients require advanced imaging for cervical trauma.
4. Order appropriate imaging studies in patients presenting with chronic neck pain or cervical radiculopathy.

TOPIC 3: Upper Extremity Trauma - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Identify radiographic findings following upper extremity trauma.
2. Determine which imaging studies should be ordered to optimally demonstrate suspected injury.
3. Recognize soft tissue signs associated with occult fractures.
4. Analyze routine radiographic studies of the upper extremity.

TOPIC 4: Acute Abdominal Emergencies Including Traumatic Injury - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Describe which clinical diagnoses are considered emergencies in abdominal imaging.
2. Describe which imaging studies should be performed for suspected emergency conditions.
3. Identify imaging findings of acute abdominal emergencies.

TOPIC 5: Back Pain Imaging - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Discuss radiological contribution to integrated diagnosis of back pain.
2. Identify findings of radiography, CT and MRI that may contribute to back pain.
3. Define terminology used in radiological reports relating to imaging of the spine.

TOPIC 6: Lower Extremity Trauma - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Identify plain radiographic findings following lower extremity trauma.
2. Determine which radiographic studies to order based on the suspected injury.
3. Recognize normal anatomic variants that may mimic pathology.
4. Analyze routine radiographic studies of the lower extremity.

TOPIC 7: MRI of Large Joints - Knee, Shoulder and Hip - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to:

1. Define commonly used terminology in radiographic reports related to musculoskeletal MRI.
2. Differentiate when to order shoulder MRI with and without arthrography.
3. Outline appropriate indication for large joint MRI examinations.