Radiography Open

Engaged, but not actively involved: A narrative review and reflections on radiographers’ engagement in research within the clinical setting.

2025-03-27T10:21:54+01:00

Aim

To contribute to the ongoing debate of radiography research, by providing an overview of radiographers’ engagement in research activities within the clinical setting. Barriers and facilitators for research engagement will be discussed.

Methods

An unstructured search for literature was conducted in MEDLINE, PUBMED and Google Scholar. Snowballing on references was further conducted. The search included papers written in English published between 2014 and august 2024.

Results

Radiographers are generally positive about research, however, their active participation in research activities in clinical settings is limited. The primary barriers to engagement in research are systemic, while facilitators are present at both personal (individual motivators) and systemic levels.

Conclusion

Enhancing radiography research is critical to ensure that radiographers work according to the principles of Evidence-based Practice, which is essential for patient safety and the provision of high-quality care. A research culture must be established within the local departments. Several strategic steps are proposed to develop a research strategy within the departments. Further research should focus on evaluating the implementation and outcomes of efforts to enhance research participation in clinical radiography.

Carbon Ion Radiotherapy: A Necessity for Tomorrow's Radiotherapy?

2024-12-03T08:54:54+01:00

Introduction: Carbon ion therapy is an advanced and highly precise form of radiotherapy, offering significant physical and radiobiological benefits over traditional photon and proton therapies. With its adoption on the rise, there are now 12 treatment centers across five countries worldwide utilizing carbon ions in radiotherapy. Despite its promising advantages, the field faces substantial challenges due to inherent complexity and high costs, which represent the primary barriers to further implementation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of carbon ion therapy, as well as to examine the role of this treatment in current and future cancer therapy.

Method: A partially systematic literature review was conducted using the database PubMed with the following keywords: “carbon ion”, “carbon ion therapy”, “c-ion”, “radiotherapy”, “heavy ion”, “future”, “potential”, and “advantages”. The search process took place from February 27, 2024, to March 11, 2024. Articles were included based on selected inclusion and exclusion criteria and were subsequently analyzed independently by the first and second author.

Results: The search process identified nine relevant articles that highlighted the benefits of the Bragg peak for precise energy deposition and the high LET value of carbon ions, which increases treatment efficacy for radioresistant and hypoxic tumors. Challenges such as the fragmentation tail and various calculations of Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) need to be addressed for optimal treatment planning. Economic barriers, including high costs for facilities and operations, limit global accessibility. Further studies on standardization, miniaturization, and the clinical effectiveness of carbon ion therapy are needed.

Conclusion: Further development and research on carbon ion therapy are necessary due to its physical and radiobiological advantages, such as high LET value and targeted energy deposition. Economic barriers and uncertainties related to the fragmentation tail and RBE calculations must be addressed. International collaboration and clinical studies are crucial to assess the role of carbon ion treatment in future cancer therapy.

Understanding Research Motivations and Barriers Among Danish Sonographers in Radiology Departments: A Qualitative Study

2025-02-10T13:49:50+01:00

Introduction: In Denmark sonographers, undergo profound training and have a notable presence in clinical practice. Understanding the factors behind their limited research engagement is important. This study aimed to examine the factors influencing sonographers' research involvement, focusing on motivational elements and barriers. Our investigation was structured around three key research questions: a) What motivates sonographers to engage in research? b) What obstacles hinder their involvement? c) How can we enhance the participation of sonographers in research in Denmark?

Methods: This study had an explorative inductive qualitative approach. The data collection method was a focus group session with sonographers from the National Sonographers Network.

The focus group session followed a structured guide and was verbatim transcribed. Thematic analysis by coding and identifying themes was performed individually by three authors. Subsequently, Social Cognitive Theory was incorporated as a framework for further analysis.

Results: Regarding motivations for engaging in research, the themes were Impact on Practice and Personal Interest. In terms of obstacles to research involvement, the themes included Challenges in Staffing and Time Management, Low Priority and Interest, Limited Research Experience and Practical Skills, and Insufficient Support. Regarding enhancements for participation, the themes were Management and Communications and Networks.

Conclusion: Sonographers in Danish public radiology departments demonstrate a high interest in research, driven by personal and clinical practice impacts. Their intrinsic motivation fosters idea generation and collaboration in research. Key barriers include heavy workloads and limited research skills. Cultivating a supportive, research-friendly environment is important for meaningful participation. Enhancing management and colleague support can bridge existing gaps and encourage active research engagement.

How to write a Continuing Medical Education (CME) paper for Radiographers and other healthcare professionals – a tutorial

2025-02-12T10:59:26+01:00

Abstract

Continuing Medical Education (CME) papers is a method for healthcare professionals to gain new knowledge, learn new technologies and procedures and keep up with advances in their respective fields. Healthcare professionals have a lifelong responsibility to learn throughout their professional career.
CME papers generally outline a specific case, topic, or challenge in the medical field. They often conclude with an individual assessment, such as a 10-question multiple-choice exam, to test the learners understanding of the material.
Unfortunately, radiographers, nurses and other medical healthcare professionals working in the Nordic countries do not have abundant access to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs, which are designed to help professionals to engage and enhance skills, knowledge and abilities. Even without formal CPD programs, radiographers must stay updated to maintain high professional standards. Nordic healthcare professionals can still benefit from reading and writing CME papers and participate in CME assessments.
CPD are widely used in many other European countries such as UK and Ireland. Therefore, CME papers can be a way to facilitate new qualifications or knowledge.