Overview
In this unit, you will learn to identify, interpret and understand skeletal change as represented on conventional radiographs as well as advanced imaging such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These differential diagnostic skills are fundamental for diagnostic competence in chiropractic practice.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisite: CHIR20003 Clinical Practice 2
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Have Your Say
The application of the content to authentic case scenarios assisted students to engage with the content.
It is recommended that case based learning continue to be used to assist students to engage with the unit content.
Feedback from Have Your Say
The approachability and responsiveness of the unit coordinator was appreciated by many students. They felt their feedback was appreciated and used to improve their experience.
It is recommended that all unit coordinators remain approachable and respond to feedback to provide a positive learning experience.
Feedback from Have Your Say
The quality of the lectures and the assessment tasks provided a strong learning environment.
It is recommended that lectures and assessments always be developed to a high standard.
- Implement a search strategy to indentify and evaluate normal findings, abnormal changes and disease processes on radiographs
- Create a differential diagnosis list in order to arrive at a provisional diagnosis based on radiographic and clinical findings
- Select the appropriate management strategy for a variety of clinical and imaging abnormalities
- Develop radiology report writing skills
Learning outcome 1 - Competency 1 (1.3), 3 (3.3 and 3.5)
Learning outcome 2 - Competency 3 (3.5)
Learning outcome 3 - Competency 1 (1.3), 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3)
Learning outcome 4 - Competency 1 (1.1) 2 (2.4), 3 (3.5)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||
3 - Oral Examination - 30% | ||||
4 - Case Study - 0% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||
2 - Communication | ||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
4 - Research | ||||
5 - Self-management | ||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
7 - Leadership | ||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
3 - Oral Examination - 30% | ||||||||
4 - Case Study - 0% |
Textbooks
Yochum and Rowe’s Essentials of Skeletal Radiology
Edition: 3rd (2005)
Authors: Terry R. Yochum and Lindsay J. Rowe
Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins
ISBN: 9780781739467
Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.grace@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Lectures and tutorial:
- Role of imaging
- Introduction to radiographic interpretation
- Introduction to radiographic report writing
Chapter
Reading:
- Yochum and Rowe 3rd Edition (Y&R) Chap. 15:
- General considerations p. 1547
- Report structure and content p. 1551-4 NOT past Report Variations for CT and MRI (this will not be addressed),
- Risk Management Strategies in Interpretation and Report Writing p. 1556-8
- Second opinion Specialty Radiology Reviews p. 1558-9
- Case Study 1-5 p. 1560-1569
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lectures and tutorial:
Scoliosis and Spondylolisthesis
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R Chap. 4 & Chap. 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Degenerative joint disease - extremities
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R pp. 955-962; 977-987
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Degenerative arthritis of the spine and related conditions.
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R pp. 963-977, 990-998, 998-999
- Fardon et al. Lumbar disc nomenclature: version 2.0. The Spine Journal 14 (2014) 2525-2545
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Autoimmune/inflammatory arthropathies
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R Chap. 10 pp. 1010-1033, 988-989
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Seronegative spondyloarthropathies
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R
Chap. 10 pp. 1033-1068
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reporting Cases 1-3 Due Monday 23 August 11:59pm
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Metabolic (crystalline deposition) and atypical degenerative arthropathy
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R pp. 1084-1092, 1092-1099, 1099-1109, 1006-1010, 999-1005
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Metabolic conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R pp. 1497-1510, 1517-1523
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Bone and joint infection
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R
pp. 1386-1417
Events and Submissions/Topic
Oral Interpretations Begin - Times will be allocated prior
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Hematologic/vascular disorders of the skeleton
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R pp. 1427-1435, 1435-1440, 1444-1453
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Skeletal dysplasias and normal variants
Chapter
Reading:
- Y&R
Chap. 8 pp. 721-727, 756-761, 765-774, 776-777
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture and tutorial:
Review
Chapter
Reading:
Review
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reporting Cases 4-6 Due Monday 04 October 11:59pm
End of Term Practical Assessment - Case Based OSCE Due: Week 12 Wednesday (6 Oct 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Viva/ Oral Interpretation and Presentation Due: Week 12 Friday (8 Oct 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Written Case Reports Due: Week 12 Friday (8 Oct 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This assessment is to be online. The test will be comprised of a range of question formats, including multi choice, matching, short and long answer explanations.
This is a closed-book assessment and no notes, texts or additional electronic devices are allowed during this assessment task. You will have a 10 minute perusal time prior to the allotted writing time. The test will last for two (2) hours. You will submit your test electronically.
This test must be written at the timetabled date and time. If you arrive late, you may enter the test room up to 15 minutes after the start of the test, however, you will still be required to submit your test at the standard test end time. You will not be allowed entry more than 15 minutes after the test starts. In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity for you to complete this assessment at a later time, and you will receive a mark of zero for the assessment.
Review/Exam Week Monday (11 Oct 2021) 2:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Monday (18 Oct 2021)
In order to achieve a passing grade or higher, students will be required to demonstrate their competencies in the following areas:
1. Identify key principles and findings of pathology that may present on diagnotic imaging studies relevant to Chiropractic practice and their relationship to clinical information.
2. Demonstrate and effectively communicate an understanding of the pathogenesis of disorders that may present on diagnostic imaging studies relevant to Chiropractic practice.
3. Effectively communicate an understanding of referral pathways related to key findings on diagostic imaging studies and associated clinical information.
4. Demonstrate the ability to appropriately order and interpret imaging relevant to Chiropractic practice.
5. Demonstrate the application of ALARA principles or other guidelines for the use of diagnostic imaging modalities.
- Create a differential diagnosis list in order to arrive at a provisional diagnosis based on radiographic and clinical findings
- Select the appropriate management strategy for a variety of clinical and imaging abnormalities
- Develop radiology report writing skills
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Practical Assessment
Students will review a series of image sets with or without an accompanying history from which they will be required to identify and abnormality, diagnose a condition or abnormality or answer a number of associated short answer questions. The clinical cases will align with content from the radiology lectures as well as relevant normal radiographic anatomy.
This portion of the assessment will be completed in Week 12 and the time will remain flexible to ensure this assessment does not clash with other lectures/ assessments in Week 12
Week 12 Wednesday (6 Oct 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Online
Review/Exam Week Wednesday (13 Oct 2021)
In order to achieve a passing grade or higher, students will be required to demonstrate their competencies in the following areas:
1. Accurately identify pathologies covered in the course;
2. Apply appropriate terminology to describe the radiographic appearance and diagnosis of pathologies;
3. Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate referral pathways including GP, Specialist, Advanced Imaging, Pathology.
4. Effectively communicate key radiographic findings and their relationships to clinical information in a simulated clinical environment
- Implement a search strategy to indentify and evaluate normal findings, abnormal changes and disease processes on radiographs
- Select the appropriate management strategy for a variety of clinical and imaging abnormalities
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Oral Examination
The student will be provided with 2 diagnostic imaging cases reflecting that which may present to a chiropractor. These will be chosen randomly and will represent those conditions presented during the term
The student will attend a 15 minute 'one-on-one, in person/online' assessment session and provide a verbal interpretation of the above cases to the lecturer. This assessment will be completed throughout Weeks 9-12. Times will be made available and posted for selection at Week 8.
Marking rubric for this component will be provided on Moodle
These assessments will be held online
Week 12 Friday (8 Oct 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
**These will take place between Weeks 9-12. Times will be made available in Week 8
Exam Week Wednesday (20 Oct 2021)
In order to achieve a passing grade or higher, students will be required to demonstrate their competencies in the following areas:
1. Identify normal radiographic anatomy
2. Identify pathologies covered in the course;
3. Apply appropriate terminology to describe the radiographic appearance and diagnosis of pathologies;
4. Effectively communicate key radiographic findings and their relationships to clinical information in a simulated clinical environment
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the contraindications to manual therapies;
6. Demonstrate an understanding of referral pathways including GP, Specialist, Advanced Imaging, Pathology where appropriate.
No submission method provided.
- Implement a search strategy to indentify and evaluate normal findings, abnormal changes and disease processes on radiographs
- Create a differential diagnosis list in order to arrive at a provisional diagnosis based on radiographic and clinical findings
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
4 Case Study
Radiological reports are an important component of clinical management. It is crucial that chiropractors are able to construct adequate reports on films obtained in their clinics and comprehend terminology contained in reports on images provided. The student will construct Six (6) detailed radiology reports on separate case images. Instructions for locating the case images will be provided on the Moodle page.
Please note the following details:
- The report itself should be in the format presented in the course.
- Adhere to the template posted on Moodle
- 3 reports will be due by the end of week 6 and the remaining 3 reports will be due by the end of Week 12
This is a pass/ fail component and ALL reports must be turned in to pass. Feedback will be provided during discussion of the case in tutorial and a Model report will be uploaded following week 6 and wee 12
Week 12 Friday (8 Oct 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Wednesday (20 Oct 2021)
In order to achieve a passing grade or higher, students will be required to demonstrate their competencies in the following areas:
1. Identification of pathologies covered in the course;
2. Apply appropriate terminology to describe the radiographic appearance and diagnosis of pathologies;
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the mechanics of radiographic report writing
4. Effectively communicate key radiographic findings and their relationships to clinical information in a simulated clinical environment
5. Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate referral pathways including GP, Specialist, Advanced Imaging, Pathology.
- Develop radiology report writing skills
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.