Lesson 1Patient consent and explanation: describing IV contrast risks and benefits and breath-hold requirementsThis lesson explains getting informed agreement for IV contrast CT, clearly stating benefits, possible risks, and options, while teaching staff to describe breath-holding steps, handle worry, and confirm patient grasp before scanning in Namibia.
Explaining CT purpose for suspected appendix issueDiscussing IV contrast benefits and valueOutlining usual and rare contrast risksDescribing breath-hold steps and trialsChecking patient grasp and answering queriesLesson 2Safety during contrast administration: monitoring for immediate reactions, emergency drug availability, and post-contrast observationThis lesson focuses on safe contrast giving, including watching patients during injection, spotting early allergy or leakage, ensuring emergency drugs and tools are ready, and after-contrast watching steps in Namibian CT suites.
Baseline check before contrast injectionWatching patient during injection and scanSpotting and handling sudden reactionsFinding and managing contrast leakageAfter-contrast watching and release adviceLesson 3Contrast timing and phases: portal venous phase timing for appendicitis, bolus tracking basics, and enteric/oral contrast considerationsThis lesson describes portal venous phase timing for appendix CT, basics of bolus tracking and test bolus, and when oral or gut contrast helps or not, including local choices and patient tolerance in Namibia.
Portal venous phase timing for appendixBolus tracking setup and trigger levelsFixed wait versus bolus tracking methodsRole of oral contrast in suspected appendixHandling patients who can't take oral contrastLesson 4Pre-scan screening for contrast contraindications: allergy history, metformin advice, and renal impairment managementThis lesson covers before-scan checks for IV contrast safety, including allergy past, previous reactions, metformin use, kidney issues, eGFR levels, and when to consult radiology or kidney experts before contrast CT in Namibia.
Taking detailed contrast allergy pastHandling past mild versus severe reactionsChecking kidney function and eGFR levelsMetformin use and pause adviceWhen to get radiologist or kidney doctor inputLesson 5Verifying CT request and identity: pregnancy screening, recent contrast reactions, and renal function checks (eGFR threshold considerations)This lesson details checking CT request, patient identity, and pregnancy status, plus reviewing past contrast reactions and kidney function, ensuring eGFR and risk notes before IV contrast CT in Namibian protocols.
Confirming patient identity with two markersReviewing clinical reason and CT formPregnancy check and record stepsChecking past contrast reactions and notesReviewing eGFR and recent kidney testsLesson 6Motion management and breath-hold technique for optimal image qualityThis lesson covers ways to cut motion issues, including coaching breath-holds, timing with scanner, handling breathless or sore patients, and using light breathing or compromise strategies when required in Namibia.
Before-scan coaching and breath trialsStandard breath-hold orders and timingHandling patients with pain or poor helpWays for light breathing scansSpotting and cutting motion issuesLesson 7Acquisition parameters: kVp, automated mA modulation, slice thickness, and reconstruction kernels for abdominal CTThis lesson reviews main scan settings for belly CT, including kVp choice, auto mA adjustment, pitch, turn time, slice thickness, and rebuild kernels, stressing their effect on noise, detail, and diagnosis trust in Namibian CT.
Choosing kVp by size and reasonSetting pitch and turn time rightAuto mA adjustment setupPicking slice thickness and rebuild gapSoft tissue and high-detail kernel picksLesson 8Radiation dose optimization: dose-length product (DLP) awareness, iterative reconstruction, and protocol tailoring for adult patientsThis lesson focuses on cutting radiation dose while keeping diagnosis quality, explaining CTDIvol and DLP, auto exposure control use, iterative rebuild, protocol fitting for body type, and recording dose numbers in Namibian records.
Understanding CTDIvol and DLP on machineUsing auto tube current adjustment safelyPicking right kVp for adultsUsing iterative rebuild to cut noiseAdjusting protocol for BMI and clinical issueLesson 9Special patient considerations: obesity, claustrophobia, and analgesia needs for painful abdominal patientsThis lesson addresses fitting CT methods for special groups, including overweight, closed-space fearful, and very sore belly patients, with plans for table limits, view field, reassurance, calm aids, and safe pain relief teamwork in Namibia.
Technical issues in overweight patientsAdjusting view field and dose for big bodiesHandling closed-space fear and worry in CTPositioning sore appendix patientsTeamwork for pain relief and calm if neededLesson 10IV access and contrast selection: contrast types (nonionic iodinated), typical volumes and concentrations for abdominal CT, and injection ratesThis lesson explains picking nonionic iodine contrast, usual amounts and strengths for adult belly CT, IV needle size and spot choice, and injection speeds and pressures for portal venous phase in Namibian practice.
Picking nonionic iodine contrast typesStandard amount and strength for adultsChoosing IV needle size and entry spotSetting injection speed and pressure limitsChecking IV flow before starting injectionLesson 11Scan protocol and positioning: supine positioning, scan range for appendicitis, and arms-up considerationsThis lesson details right flat-on-back positioning, arm placement, and scan area choice for appendix CT, covering from diaphragm to pubic bone, table centering, and ways to cut issues and boost comfort and repeat ease in Namibia.
Flat-on-back positioning and table height matchArms up versus down: good and badSetting scan area for suspected appendixCentering to middle and avoiding machine clashPadding, belts, and comfort tools for steadinessLesson 12PACS reporting workflow and urgent communication: how to mark study for radiologist read and communicate suspected complications (perforation, abscess) to the clinical teamThis lesson outlines sending studies to PACS right, adding urgency markers, and ensuring radiologist knows of suspected issues, while teaching structured talks with doctors for burst appendix, pus pocket, or blood poisoning worries in Namibia.
Right labeling and sending series to PACSMarking studies as urgent or immediateAdding key clinical details in tech notesEscalating suspected burst or pus pocketRecording spoken talks with doctorsLesson 13Image review and quality check: evaluating contrast opacification, breathing motion artifacts, and repeat criteriaThis lesson explains step-by-step image review for technical fitness, including contrast filling of gut and vessels, motion or line issues, appendix area coverage, and rules for redoing or adding scans in Namibian CT workflows.
Checking scan area and body coverageAssessing portal venous filling qualitySpotting breathing and motion issuesEvaluating noise, lines, and hardeningDeciding when redo or extra series needed
