Radiology: The doctor’s eyes look into the body

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matthew Hubby
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  It is a perfect day for running - light breeze, about 75 degrees, the sun shining bright as an Airman walks to the base running track. Suddenly, the Airman trips, catching their foot on a stone and twisting their ankle. They land roughly onto the ground with a cry of pain and as they attempt to stand they realize they are unable to. Hopping back to their vehicle, they head to the medical clinic for aid. Their primary care manager orders an X-ray of the ankle to ensure it isn't fractured.

That's where the radiology flight comes in.

The radiology flight in the 436th Medical Support Squadron at the Dover Air Force Base, Del., outpatient medical clinic provides the base with simple diagnostic X-rays.

"We are the liaison between the doctor who ordered the x-ray and the radiologist who is going to read it," said Senior Airman Melanie Griffin, a diagnostic imaging technologist with the 436th Medical Support Squadron.

The doctor who sees the patient orders the X-ray, then sends the patient to radiology. When the X-rays are complete, they are read by the radiologist, who then reports their findings to the patient's care provider. The report is read and the provider decides the course of treatment.

As with all radiological tests, X-rays produce a small amount of radiation when in use. However, there is no need for patients to worry about exposure.

"You get more radiation from a tanning bed or standing outside on a really sunny day, than from a single X-ray," said Griffin. "That's not to say radiation isn't dangerous, but the dose from the X-ray is so low that limited exposure poses very little risk. Federal regulations mandate that radiology technologists stand behind the lead wall during the procedure because the number of times a day we perform X-rays can increase the dose we receive."

The most common X-rays performed are chest X-rays in infants and toddlers and knee X-rays in service members. Other X-rays vary season to season, with wrist and ankle X-rays being more prevalent in the spring.

The radiology flight does more than just ensure the health and welfare of the base Airmen; they also work with AFMAO in support of their mission to return our fallen heroes with dignity and respect through the use of postmortem X-rays and X-ray computed tomography, a process which produces a volume of data that can be manipulated, through a process known as "windowing", in order to demonstrate various bodily structures based on their ability to block the X-ray beam.

"[Supporting AFMAO's mission] is the hardest, but most rewarding part of our job," said Staff Sgt. Rebecca Silvis, a diagnostic imaging technologist with the 436th MDSS. "We serve four-month rotations between the medical clinic and AFMAO. It is a part of our mission that is unique to Dover AFB."

While the patients come first, X-ray quality is also important, said Silvis.

"We are the doctor's eyes into of the body," said Silvis. "It is important for us to get clean and accurate X-rays; otherwise we are giving the doctor a clouded view of what they might be dealing with. It's like being the doctor's glasses, if we don't give them a clear picture, they might as well be blind."