Workbook for Textbook of Radiographic Positioning and Related Anatomy, 8e

Book Preface

Purpose and History

Early in my teaching career, first at a hospital-based program andthen at a citywide college-affiliated program in radiologic technology, I discovered that other allied health programs were far ahead of us in the type and quality of instructional media available in their fields of study. We had no audiovisuals or teaching ancillaries at that time, and many of our textbooks were outdated, incomplete, and difficult to read and comprehend. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, as I was completing my graduate degree in education and instructional media, I began to develop audiovisuals and self-paced instructional programs for my students, which later turned out to be the first commercially available programmed audiovisual education media in radiologic technology. I chose as my subject radiographic anatomy and positioning because it is the one subject that all radiography students need to master.

This comprehensive audiovisual series was soon being widely used throughout the United States and Canada. It became apparent, however, that students also needed a thorough, clearly written, and easy-to-understand textbook on the important subject of radiographic anatomy and positioning. In the early 1980s the first edition of this textbook took shape, and it too was soon being widely used to supplement our audiovisual self-paced instructional series. Students and instructors now for the first time had access to a complete multimedia audiovisual package, a two-volume student workbook, an instructor’s manual, and a new, comprehensive, but clearly written textbook.

Thus began my writing and publishing career 45 plus years ago. Our motivation for writing and developing instructional media remains the same today—to provide students and instructors with thorough, easy-to-use resources that are current and necessary for understanding radiographic anatomy and routine positioning. All imaging technologists should also be familiar with those special radiographic procedures and other newer imaging modalities that are in use in modern imaging departments today.
KLB

Unique Features
DISTINCTIVE PRESENTATION

We believe the most unique and distinctive feature of this Textbook of Radiographic Positioning and Related Anatomy is its “show-andtell” style of presentation. We have used the principle of presenting information from simple to complex, from known to unknown, and showing what is being talked about as it is being described. This maximizes the potential for comprehension and retention. Most of us remember best through mental images; we remember much more of what we see than what we hear. When we see with our eyes and hear as we read and do as we complete the positioning and workbook exercises, we gain the greatest opportunity for understanding and retaining what we have learned.

ALTERNATIVE MODALITIES, PATHOLOGY, AND POSITIONING

Today’s health care workers are expected to expand their roles and be more “cross-functional” in their duties and responsibilities. Therefore all imaging technologists should understand at least the basic principles and the possible procedures and exams that can be performed in each of the imaging modalities. With these expanding roles for technologists also comes more responsibility for determining and understanding the clinical indications for the exam or procedure being ordered. Technologists are expected to do more than just position a patient to demonstrate the anatomic part being examined per the order chart or exam requisition. They need to understand why the procedure is being ordered to ensure that the best projections or positions are obtained. They also need to know how pathology impacts positioning and exposure factors. Evaluating radiographic images requires knowledge and understanding of how that disease or condition should appear on the radiographic image.