Medical Imaging for the Health Care Provider: Practical Radiograph Interpretation

This unique book fills a void in radiology interpretation texts by encompassing the foundational tools and concepts of the full range of medical imaging, including radiology, the basics of interpretation of plain radiographs, comparison with other testing modalities, the rationale for selecting the first diagnostic step, and exploration and interpretation of chest, abdomen, extremity, and spinal radiographs. A concise, easy-to-use reference, it includes written descriptions enhanced with figures, tables, and actual patient films to demonstrate concepts, and discusses--in easily accessible language--differences in testing modalities. The text also features a step-by-step guide to the interpretation of radiographs.

This resource describes and compares available diagnostic modalities, including plain radiograph, CT scan, nuclear imaging, MRI, and ultrasound. It discusses pediatric considerations and includes separate chapters for the chest, abdomen, upper and lower extremities, and the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. The book will be an asset to nurse practitioners and physician assistants working in all emergency, urgent, intensive, and primary care settings. It will also benefit medical students and graduate students in acute care, family, adult/gerontology, and emergency nurse practitioner programs, as well as emergency/trauma clinical nurse specialists, and hospitalists and intensivist nurse practitioners.

Key Features:

• Integrates the basics of radiology, CT scans, nuclear imaging, MRIs, and ultrasound, their characteristics and differences among testing modalities, and basic step-by-step interpretation skills
• Relevant to a wide range of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other mid-level providers in multiple settings
• Includes a step-by-step guide to the interpretation of the radiographs
• Delivers an easy-to-understand approach to selecting diagnostic imaging tests
• Presents actual images and figures to demonstrate concepts, which are also available digitally

Theresa M. Campo, DNP, APRN, FAANP, FAAN, is vice president of accreditation, conference, & education for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Previously, she was chair of the Department of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), director of the Emergency Nurse Practitioner Track, and an associate clinical professor at Drexel University. Clinically, she is board-certified as a family nurse practitioner and worked part-time as a nurse practitioner in southern New Jersey.