This curriculum is designed to encompass the full breadth of musculoskeletal radiology. The educational experience is multifaceted and includes:
- Daily plain film review.
These films include all inpatients on the orthopedic service and orthopedic consults. Outpatient clinic films pertaining to the musculoskeletal system, including all orthopedic divisions, the rheumatology service, general medicine, and family medicine are reviewed. - Daily review of musculoskeletal CT and MRI cases.
This review includes discussion of the correct protocol, desired imaging sequences, review of pertinent anatomy, mechanisms of injury in sports medicine and trauma cases, as well as identification of pathology. Monitoring of musculoskeletal MRI cases is frequently required to ensure the examination is complete and any pathology is accurately characterized before the patient is dismissed. - The indications for, techniques for performance, and interpretation of all procedures related to musculoskeletal radiology including joint aspirations and arthrography, bone biopsies, disc aspirations, and discography.
- A lecture series is provided which is designed to cover the specified topics over a two year period. (See attached.) The format of this lecture series is predominantly case examples. The residents are called upon to identify and describe pertinent findings and other appropriate differential diagnoses. The ensuing discussion is used to hone the resident's observational skills and improve their ability to accurately describe findings. Factual information regarding each possibility in the differential diagnosis is provided.
- Additional commercial educational materials to supplement the aforementioned curriculum are readily available in the departmental library. These materials include the ACR teaching file on both film and CD - ROM.
- In addition to the comprehensive lecture series discussed above, each summer an introductory lecture series is offered to familiarize incoming residents, medical students, etc. with basic concepts; the musculoskeletal radiology section includes lectures on: a) approach to trauma, b) initial evaluation of the cervical spine, and c) evaluation of the solitary bone lesion.
