This seventh edition of Introduction to Radiologic Technology has been updated, and new material has been added as suggested by the readers and educators who use this text in their programs. The hundreds of programs and thousands of students who have used the previous six editions have confirmed our original belief that a strong introduction and orientation to the profession is vital to a new student who is embarking on a career in radiologic technology. It is gratifying to attend a conference anywhere in the United States and have registered technologists tell us that they began their career with this textbook.
We have, by design, retained the “introductory” nature of this text with the full knowledge that subsequent courses will delve more deeply into the technical aspects of radiography. The chapters have been updated to coincide with trends, technical advances, and changes in the health care system; however, we have taken care, as suggested by our readers, to maintain the comprehension level and simple style expected of an introductory course.
The purpose of this new edition remains the same as that of previous editions: to introduce the new or prospective student to the profession of radiologic technology and to the body of knowledge required to become a member of the profession. The intent is to inform students early in their study of what they can expect from a career in radiologic technology, options for advancement, and what will be required of them. As the health care environment becomes increasingly more challenging, this goal takes on added significance.
• The sequence of chapters has been rearranged to better align with ASRT Core Curriculum’s section on fundamentals. Educators who have their course syllabus developed to be consistent with past editions will need to make some minor adjustments.
• Chapter 12, “Knowing Your Patient,” is new to this edition. This chapter gives the radiologic technology student a better understanding of the patients they will be assisting.
• New photographs reflect current equipment and practice standards.
Each chapter begins with an outline, key terms, and learning objectives. Chapter content is followed by references, and multiple-choice review questions that can be used by the reader to assess knowledge or by the instructor to encourage discussion. Key terms are shown in bold print. These key terms are defined in the chapter and in the glossary that is found in the back of the book. Answers to the multiple-choice review questions at the end of each chapter are also found in the back matter of the book.
Instructor’s resources are designed to help the instructor encourage active student participation in the class. Instructor’s resources include sample lesson plans, a test bank containing 250 multiple-choice questions, an image collection from the textbook, and a PowerPoint lecture presentation available at http://evolve.elsevier.com/gurley/radtech/.