Overview
This unit will provide you with the foundational science knowledge needed for future study of the safe and effective use of x-ray imaging equipment and production of diagnostic radiography images. You will learn the theoretical concepts of radiation production and control, radiation interactions in matter, and basics of digital radiographic image recording and processing. This learning will be underpinned by a study of core physics concepts. You will learn how and why to limit radiation exposure through the study of radiation bioeffects and best practices in radiation protection.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Enrolment in CB77
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 Undergraduate 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 Unit coordinator reflection
To support student readiness for the two written tests, five formative quizzes and a practice final test were provided. There was a strong association between use of those resources during the term and success on the written tests.
Reinforce to students through periodic communications the value of the formative quizzes and practice test in self-assessing understanding of core concepts and use of terminology.
Feedback from Have Your Say feedback, informal feedback from students, unit coordinator reflections
Students who attended tutorials commented that these were useful for consolidating understanding of the week's material and supporting preparation for assessment. Tutorials were delivered online for all students and recordings were provided. However, attendance was very low and relatively few students used the tutorial recordings.
Reinforce to students the purpose and value of tutorials in supporting their readiness for assessment.
- Discuss the underlying physical principles of and the controls involved in x-ray beam production, emission, interactions in matter and capture at the image receptor
- Outline the basic construction and operation of x-ray units and digital radiographic image acquisition systems
- Discuss fundamental attributes of radiographic image appearances such as visibility, brightness, contrast, unsharpness, and distortion
- Relate the concepts of beam control, differential attenuation, and scatter control to the production and appearances of a projection radiograph
- Relate core concepts of bioeffects of low-level ionising radiation and current scientific theories of radiation risk to radiation protection practices in radiography.
This unit supports students in the attainment of the following Competency Standards of the Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia:
1.1 Complies with legal and ethical requirements
- Adheres to relevant legislation, common law, codes, standards and other policy regulating chiropractic conduct and practice
1.4 Demonstrates professional integrity
- Applies principles of risk management and quality improvement to practice
3.3 Obtains the results of clinical, laboratory and other diagnostic procedures necessary to inform care
- Refers for or conducts imaging where clinically indicated
3.5 Critically analyses information available to generate a clinical impression
- Demonstrates knowledge of diagnostic imaging techniques and procedures, including indications and limitations of available imaging modalities
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
1 - Report - 30% | |||||
2 - Online Test - 20% | |||||
3 - Online Test - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
1 - Communication | |||||
2 - Problem Solving | |||||
3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
4 - Information Literacy | |||||
5 - Team Work | |||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
8 - Ethical practice | |||||
9 - Social Innovation | |||||
10 - 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 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Report - 30% | ||||||||||
2 - Online Test - 20% | ||||||||||
3 - Online Test - 50% |
Textbooks
Radiographic Imaging and Exposure
Edition: 5 (2017)
Authors: Terri L Fauber
Elsevier
St. Louis St. Louis , Missouri , USA
ISBN: 9780323356244
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Students may purchase the hard copy textbook from the University Bookshop. The e-version is not available through the publisher for distribution in Australia. However, the e-book (either 5th or 6th edition) may be purchased through Amazon Australia's Kindle store.
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.
c.falconi@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
- introduction to radiography
- overview of imaging process
- introduction to radiation science
- properties of radiation
- energy
- forces
- structure of matter
Chapter
Fauber Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on using learning goals and writing definitions
Module/Topic
X-ray Production
- basic electrical concepts
- x-ray tube construction and operation
- tube voltage
- tube current
- exposure time
- milliampere-seconds (mAs) setting
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 1 content
Module/Topic
X-ray Production
- target interactions
- production of x-rays (2 processes)
- heat production
- beam contents (spectrum)
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 2 content
Module/Topic
X-ray Production
- x-ray quantity and quality
- expressing beam output
- effect of tube current on beam output
- effect of tube voltage on beam output
- effect of filtration on beam output
- best practices for extending tube life
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 3 content
Module/Topic
X-ray Beam Attenuation and Transmission
- beam attenuation
- beam transmission
- interactions of x-rays with matter
- absorption
- scatter
Chapter
Fauber Chapter 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 4 content
Online Test 1 Due: Week 5 Friday (13 Aug 2021) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Control of the Remnant Beam
- fractional attenuation
- fractional transmission
- factors affecting quantity of attenuation
- differential attenuation
- factors affecting differential attenuation
- subject contrast of the remnant beam
Chapter
Fauber Chapter 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 5 content
Module/Topic
Image appearances and image quality
- radiographic (image) contrast
- brightness
- visibility
- contrast resolution
- accuracy of structural content
- sharpness
- spatial resolution
- distortion
- contribution of x-ray production and primary beam
- contribution of the structures being imaged
- contribution of the imaging set-up
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 6 content
Module/Topic
Scatter and its control
- factors affecting the magnitude of scatter produced
- collimation
- grids
- air gap technique
Chapter
Fauber Chapters 6 & 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 7 content
Module/Topic
Digital imaging technology
- digital image file properties
- digital image processing
- image receptor systems - structure and operation
- image display and viewing
- display adjustments (windowing, zoom)
- control of spatial and contrast resolution of digital images
- exposure index
- deviation index
Chapter
Fauber Chapter 4
Additional readings as posted on unit Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 8 content
Radiation Production and Imaging Report Due: Week 9 Tuesday (14 Sept 2021) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Radiation biology
- dose metrics (exposure, absorbed dose and effective dose)
- bioeffects of ionising radiation (deterministic and stochastic effects)
- dose response theories
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 9 content
Module/Topic
Radiation protection
- ALARA principle
- legislation and professional responsibilities
- justification, limitation and optimisation
- dose optimisation techniques for digital radiography
- best practices in dose management
- use of technique charts
- considerations for paediatric and pregnant patients
- radiation occupational health and safety
Chapter
Fauber Chapters 1 & 8, Appendix C
Additional readings as posted on unit Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 10 content
Module/Topic
-
Consolidation and integration of core concepts
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Week 11 content
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Final Test to be scheduled during the University's Examination Period.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
This unit has been developed by a cross-disciplinary team to provide expertise from both the radiographic and chiropractic perspectives. The unit provides the science foundation for your study of radiographic technique in Year 3 of your course and your clinical practice in your Masters study.
You are provided with a set of learning goals for each week's topics to communicate the breadth and depth of the knowledge and skills you are required to demonstrate in the unit assessments. Lectures are provided as pre-recorded videos via the unit Moodle site. A series of videos of lab experiments illustrate the use of radiographic equipment, beam properties, beam controls, image acquisition, image processing and safe practices.
You will have weekly online tutorials to discuss assigned questions on the previous week's learning. Tutorials are interactive sessions where your participation enables you to check your understanding of and your ability to apply the week's concepts and for you to build your skills in responding to test questions. Your regular participation strongly supports your success in the unit. While online tutorials will be recorded, these recordings are not intended to replace your active participation in live sessions.
You are expected to spend on average 10 - 12 hours of time each week in your study activities for this unit. A suggested time budget for your weekly study is:
- 2 - 3 hours for watching recorded lectures and virtual labs
- 1 - 1½ hours for completing assigned reading
- ½ - 1 hour for completing other posted learning activities
- 2 - 2 ½ hours for creating study notes to meet weekly learning goals using lectures and readings
- 1 hour for working on posted tutorial questions in preparation for tutorial
- 1 hour for participation in tutorial
- 2 - 3 hours for assignment preparation and/or revision for final examination
1 Online Test
As you are students in a course that is accredited by your professional body, we must provide evidence that you have core knowledge and skill that underpins your ability to meet the Competency Standards of your profession. This includes knowledge of the underlying science of radiography and its application to safe and effective practice.
You will write an online test to demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts and use the terminology from Weeks 1 - 4 of the unit. All questions will be based on the posted weekly learning goals for those weeks.
This test is of 80 minutes duration. This time duration factors in expected 75 minutes of writing time as well as adequate time to plan and type your answers, plus any potential lag in internet services.
This is a Moodle quiz. You will have a 90 minute window of access to the test (between 2:15 pm - 4:00 pm AEST). Once you access the test, you will have 80 minutes to complete it. You are given a single attempt, which means you cannot re-open the quiz once you have closed it. The stated due date/time listed below is when the test availability will close in Moodle, so plan to start your test at least 80 minutes before that time. If you start your test less than 80 minutes prior to the due date/time, your test will still close at 4:00 p.m.
To complete the test, ensure that you have use of a computer (PC or Mac) in good working order with adequate power/charged battery and reliable internet access. Use of a tablet device is not recommended as you will not be able to see all available information on the Moodle quiz screen.
This is an open book test. It means that during the test you may access your study notes, textbook, the unit Moodle site and/or any website. You may use that content in formulating your responses. However, the time allocated for completing the questions assumes familarity with the unit material. You should not expect to have the time to look up answers to every question. Because this is an open-book test the emphasis is not on recall of facts but instead application of facts and concepts. The weekly learning goals tell you the specific ways that you are expected to integrate and apply concepts from the weekly content. We will practice many of these learning goal tasks in the weekly tutorials.
Your test responses must be your own work. The rules of academic integrity still apply. You cannot seek assistance or make use of assistance from another person during this test. You may not communicate with any other person during the test (whether verbally, electronically or in writing) for any purpose relating to the test questions or your responses. You may not share the test content with any other person for any reason. At the start of the test you will need to make a declaration that you understand these rules of academic integrity and that you agree to abide by them. Any identified cases of potential collusion or cheating will result in a breach of academic integrity case being raised.
This test must be written at the timetabled date and time. There is no provision for a late submission and no late penalty can be applied. Please see Section 5 of the the University's Assessment Policy and Procedure for details regarding Assessment Management, specifically around assessment extension.
If you have an approved extension, you will be assigned a new test date and time as soon as possible after the original test date. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are available at that new assigned date/time.
In the absence of an approved extension, you cannot complete this assessment at a later time, and you will receive a mark of zero for the assessment if you have not completed it by the scheduled date and time.
Week 5 Friday (13 Aug 2021) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (3 Sept 2021)
Question responses will be scored on the following criteria:
- factual correctness of content
- completeness in answering what was asked
- depth of explanation
- relevance of your response in addressing the question that was asked.
Marks for each question are listed on the Moodle screen. The number of marks are allocated based on the number of key points you are expected to make in answering the question. You should expect to make one key point of fact or logic for each mark. As a guide, a key point typically involves 1 - 2 sentences.
- Outline the basic construction and operation of x-ray units and digital radiographic image acquisition systems
- Communication
2 Report
As future chiropractors, you will need to be able to make reasoned selections of technical parameters for the radiographs you produce that factor in your patient as well as the correct operation of your equipment.
You will create an electronic report that discusses the underlying science behind radiographic appearances and data obtained from virtual lab experiments. You will be provided with a series of videos of experiments using radiographic imaging equipment to measure radiation beams in various circumstances and to image inanimate objects. You will be provided with various images and sets of data associated with these experiments.
You will then answer a series of questions relating to those virtual labs and the associated data and images. A Word template will be provided on the unit Moodle site to help you structure your submission. The specific questions you must address as well as the format and presentation of your electronic report will be posted on the unit Moodle site.
In addressing the required areas of discussion, you may choose to use resources to support your responses. These may include your text, resources that are provided on the unit Moodle site and/or others that you may find. (Note that lecture slides are visual accompaniment to a spoken presentation, so the slides are not appropriate to use as a standalone resource for this assessment). Academic integrity standards require that you do not plagiarise, so you are required to acknowledge the ideas and words of others using correct referencing technique. Your report must be submitted as a Word or pdf document that can be analysed by Turnitin.
This report is to be completed individually. As for all assessments, you are expected to uphold the standards of Academic Integrity. Colluding with other students on a non-group work task is considered a breach of academic integrity.
Week 9 Tuesday (14 Sept 2021) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (1 Oct 2021)
Your report will be assessed on the following criteria:
-
clarity and completeness of explanations and discussions in answering the required questions
- factual correctness of statements, explanations and discussions
-
relevance of response content to the question asked
- correct use of terminology
- Discuss the underlying physical principles of and the controls involved in x-ray beam production, emission, interactions in matter and capture at the image receptor
- Discuss fundamental attributes of radiographic image appearances such as visibility, brightness, contrast, unsharpness, and distortion
- Relate the concepts of beam control, differential attenuation, and scatter control to the production and appearances of a projection radiograph
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Technology Competence
3 Online Test
You will write an online test to demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts and use the terminology from the unit. All questions will be based on the posted weekly learning goals.
Question tasks will be of the same types that you will practice in tutorials. These question tasks may include analysis of diagrams (including radiographs and photographs), explanations of concepts, application of concepts to specific scenarios, definitions and discussions.
This test is of 2 hours in duration. This time factors in perusal and planning time as well as writing time. The time allowed will provide adequate time to plan and type your answers, plus any potential lag of internet services.
This is a Moodle quiz. You will have a 2.5 hour window of access to the test. Once you access the test, you will have 120 minutes to complete it. You are given a single attempt, which means you cannot re-open the quiz once you have closed it. The stated due date/time is when the test availability will close in Moodle, so plan to start your test at least 120 minutes before that time. If you start your test less than 120 minutes prior to the due date/time, your test will still close at the posted due date/time.
To complete the test, ensure that you have use of a computer (PC or Mac) in good working order with adequate power/charged battery and reliable internet access. Use of a tablet device is not recommended as you will not be able to see all available information on the Moodle quiz screen.
This is an open book test. It means that during the test you may access your study notes, textbook, the unit Moodle site and/or any website. You may use that content in formulating your responses. However, the time allocated for completing the questions assumes familarity with the unit material. You should not expect to have the time to look up answers to every question. Because this is an open-book test we are not assessing your recall of facts. The weekly learning goals tell you the specific ways that you are expected to integrate and apply concepts from the weekly content. We will practice many of these learning goal tasks in the weekly tutorials.
Your test responses must be your own work. The rules of academic integrity still apply. You cannot seek assistance or make use of assistance from another person during this test. You may not communicate with any other person during the test (whether verbally, electronically or in writing) for any purpose relating to the test questions or your responses. You may not share the test content with any other person for any reason. At the start of the test you will need to make a declaration that you understand these rules of academic integrity and that you agree to abide by them. Any identified cases of potential collusion will result in a breach of academic integrity case being raised.
This test must be written at the timetabled date and time. There is no provision for a late submission and no late penalty can be applied. Please see Section 5 of the the University's Assessment Policy and Procedure for details regarding Assessment Management, specifically around assessment extension.
In the absence of an approved extension, you cannot complete this assessment at a later time, and you will receive a mark of zero for the assessment if you have not completed it by the scheduled date and time.
If you have an approved extension, you will be assigned a new test date and time as soon as possible after the original test date. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are available at that new assigned date/time.
To be scheduled during the University's Examination Period in Weeks 13/14.
Results will be available 2 weeks after the test date.
Question responses will be scored on the following criteria:
- factual correctness of content
- completeness in answering what was asked
- depth of explanation
- relevance of your response in addressing the question that was asked.
Marks for each question are listed on the Moodle screen. The number of marks are allocated based on the number of key points you are expected to make in answering the question. You should expect to make one key point of fact or logic for each mark. As a guide, a key point typically involves 1 - 2 sentences.
No submission method provided.
- Discuss the underlying physical principles of and the controls involved in x-ray beam production, emission, interactions in matter and capture at the image receptor
- Outline the basic construction and operation of x-ray units and digital radiographic image acquisition systems
- Discuss fundamental attributes of radiographic image appearances such as visibility, brightness, contrast, unsharpness, and distortion
- Relate core concepts of bioeffects of low-level ionising radiation and current scientific theories of radiation risk to radiation protection practices in radiography.
- Communication
- Ethical practice
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.