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Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a significant concern for both healthcare professionals and patients. With recent advances in imaging modalities, there is an increase in patients visiting the radiology department for diagnosis and therapeutic examination. The equipment used for the investigator is contaminated, which may result in HCAIs to the patients and healthcare professionals. Medical imaging professionals (MIPs) should have adequate knowledge to overcome the spread of infection in the radiology department. This systematic review aimed to examine the literature on the knowledge and precaution standard of MIPs on HCIAs. This study was performed with a relative keyword using PRISMA guidelines. The articles were retrieved from 2000 to 2022 using Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest databases. The NICE public health guidance manual was used to assess the quality of the full-length article. The search yielded 262 articles, of which Scopus published 13 articles, PubMed published 179 articles, and ProQuest published 55 articles. In the present review, out of 262 articles, only 5 fulfilled the criteria that reported MIPs’ knowledge of Jordan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, France, and Malawi populations. The present review reported that MIPs have moderate knowledge and precautionary standards regarding HCIAs in the radiology department. However, due to the limited studies published in the literature, the current review limits the application of the outcome in the vast MIPs population. This review recommended further studies to be conducted among the MIPs worldwide to know the actual knowledge and precaution standards regarding HCIAs.

Background: The Spheno-occipital synchondrosis (SOS) has a significant role in role in the field of forensic,medical and anthropological sciences for age analysis. Therefore, SOS can help estimating age dependingon different stages of closure. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the timing of complete fusionof Spheno-occipital synchondrosis using computed tomography.Methods: A prospective study including 110 subjects was conducted in which 55 males and 55 femalesbetween the ages of 15-25. All CT examinations were performed on a 128 slice incisive CT, Philips and16- slice big bore CT, Philips. The sagittal image was used for analysis the stage of spheno-occipital fusion.Based on the stage of fusion of SOS, patients were categorized into stage 0 indicating partial/no fusion andstage 1indicating complete closure of the SOS. An experienced radiologist scored all images.Conclusion: The mean age of male cases with complete SOS closure was 20.3 ± 3 years for males and20 ± 3.1 years for females. The study results show that by age of 20, no individual will belong to stage 0irrespective of gender and all individuals would have completely fused SOS.

Introduction: Occupational stress can negatively impact an individual and is associated with a wide rangeof physical and mental effects resulting in psychosocial and biomechanical stress. Moreover, health careworkers have been reported to have a great deal of stress mainly due to the shift duties and increasedworkload.Objectives: Therefore the study aimed to determine the psychosocial predictors of stress among radiographersin tertiary care hospitals of Udupi and Mangalore. Data was collected from 55 radiographers from threetertiary care hospitals using a standard questionnaire published by the UK health and safety (HSE). A scoreand an aggregate score was generated for each item as well as each of seven sets of working condition like“job demands, control, support from managers, support from peers, role, change and relationships”. Theanalysis tool published by the HSE was used to analyze data.Results: The indicator analysis tool recommended 11 “psychosocial work conditions” that requiredimprovement. On an aggregate level from the seven psychosocial working conditions ‘relationship’ and‘Demand’ category warranted improvement.Conclusion: The study showed majority categories being identified as “good and need to maintainperformance”. However that main predictors of occupational stress was found to be excess workloadfollowed by relationship conflicts among co-workers.

Background: Bone mineral density scan (BMD) is a simple, non-invasive procedure used to assess the strength of the bones by measuring the composition of minerals mainly calcium in the bones. In this study, BMD was measured using Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) and Hounsfield unit (HU) in the lumbar spine and the values were correlated.Methods: 240 participants referred for CT Abdomen and CT Lumbar spine were scanned using 64 slice Brilliance CT. Using BMD software, three different vertebral bodies from L1-L3 were taken and ROI was placed at the central portion of the trabecular bone. Two references ROI one in retro spinal muscle and one in fat tissue was also placed. To measure CT attenuation value an ROI graphic tool was drawn at the trabecular bone. The average of BMD in QCT and HU value was taken from L1-L3. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to correlate QCT and HU values.Results: The mean BMD for the 21-40 age group was found to be 156.3 and 228.0 for QCT and HU respectively. Similarly, the mean BMD for 41-60 and 61-80 age groups was found to be 125.5, 173.6 and 109.1, 140.4 for QCT and HU respectively. The results showed a strong positive correlation between QCT and HU BMD (r = 0.94) with a p-value less than 0.001.Discussion: In our present study, 64.53% (n=155) were found to have normal BMD based on the WHO diagnostic category for spine BMD in QCT. Whereas 24.58% were found to have a low bone mass (osteopenia) and 10.83% were found to have osteoporosis. The equivalent mean HU was found to be 211.98 ±31.06, 139.64 ±18.58, 87.22 ±15.92 for normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis respectively.Conclusion: The study shows a strong correlation between QCT BMD with HU. Therefore, the CT attenuation technique can also be used to derive bone mineral density values from routine abdomen and lumbar spine MDCT for osteoporosis screening with no additional cost to the patient

Introduction: Lumbar spine radiography is an inexpensive and quick imaging technique which is often used for the evaluation of bony structures and initial screening examination for suspected fractures, congenital spinal defects, malalignment, and degenerative changes of the spine. During lumbar spine radiography, gonads are also irradiated. As gonads are radiosensitive organs, biological damage produced by radiation is closely related to the amount of energy absorbed. Surface radiation dose (SRD) is a measurement of dose received by the skin of the patient where the X-ray beam passes through the patient. Objectives: The objectives are aimed to study the comparison of SRD to the gonads by radiographic examination of the lumbar spine using computed radiography (CR) and direct digital radiography (DR) and to evaluate dose differences according to gender. Methods: A total of 120 subjects with an equal number of males and females referred for lumbar spine anteroposterior (AP) and lateral was included in the study. Sixty patients had undergone X-ray in CR X-ray unit and 60 in DR X-ray unit. SRD to gonads from a radiographic examination of the lumbar spine was measured in CR and DR using Mult-O-Meter, and obtained value of SRD was in μGy. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Data were represented as a median and interquartile range. Mann–Whitney U-test was used for the comparison of SRD to gonads. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to find out the statistically significant difference in SRD to the gonads according to gender from radiography of lumbar spine taken using CR and direct DR. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in SRD to gonads from radiography of lumbar spine AP and lateral taken using CR and direct DR (p