Background Reports indicated that numerous factors, including inadequate personnel knowledge, contributes to insufficient patient data for setting up diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) in developing countries. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of DRLs as an optimisation tool amongst computed tomography (CT) radiographers in northern Nigeria. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. A structured questionnaire was devised and distributed on site to sixty-two CT radiographers in northern Nigeria. A total of fifteen questions were included in the questionnaire focusing on DRLs, dose optimisation and dose descriptors generating quantitative data concerning overall CT radiographers’ perceived knowledge and awareness about DRLs. Results A response rate of 77.4% (48/62) was achieved. About 83.3% of the participants declare DRLs awareness, and 37.5% carried out a local dose survey. The percentage correctly perceived knowledge of concepts; DRLs was 45.8%, dose optimisation (42%) and CT dose descriptor (39%). Radiographers with work experience ranging from 4-10 years had the highest score. Conclusion In this survey, deficiencies were noted in radiographers’ knowledge about DRLs with precise knowledge gap in the implementation of local dose survey for DRLs and optimisation. There is a need for continuous radiographers’ training with greater emphasis on dose optimisation and institutional based dose evaluation.

Background: Cleanliness and dirt are a dichotomy to categorize a particular environment especially hospital settings in which cleanliness pave a great linkage to patient satisfaction on quality of care and reduction of infection. Dirt creates negative thought on the quality of services being rendered to patients in the hospital environment. Objectives: To assess the perception of patients and their relatives on the level of cleanliness in radiology department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto and to determine which amongst the diagnostic rooms is the cleanest (Computed Tomography (CT) room, Routine X-rays room or contrast exams room (fluoroscopy)). Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, 100 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents of which 66 in Routine xray room, 23 in CT suit and 11 in contrast examination room. Out of the 100 questionnaires nine were not returned and the remaining 91 were analysed. The questionnaire contains fifteen statements in total apart from the socio-demographic component. The count of responses was considered and for each type of response (SA, A, N, D, and SD) the percentage were calculated using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Results: Sixty percent of the respondents were patients while 40% were relatives of patients that were critically ill. The modal age range of the respondents was 25-34years, 58% were married, while 48.4% were civil servants. The result of our study shows that the respondents have adequate knowledge on cleanliness with a mean score of 4.3, they perceived radiology department as a clean environment for diagnosis and visitation but need further improvement. According to the findings, CT room was the cleanest (87.0%) followed by contrast examination room 64.0% and routine X-rays room was the least 47.0%. It also revealed that lack of manpower is the cause of inadequate sanitation. Conclusion: Radiology Department in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital is clean and the CT suit is the cleanest.

Background: Chest x-ray is the most frequently performed diagnostic examination particularly in patients with respiratory and cardiac diseases and for routine medical checkup and planning for surgery. A study on the image quality of chest x-rays had been conducted but the findings on the chest x-rays have not been studied in this tertiary health institution. This study aimed at revealing the most common pathologies and sex distribution of the pathologies on chest x-rays of adult patients attending the hospital. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 190 adult (aged 18 and above) patients’ chest x-ray reports was conducted using the existing reported documents of chest x-rays from the archives of Radiology Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto from January 2018 - October 2019 using data capture sheet as instrument for data collection. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel version 2010. Results: Out of the 190 chest x-rays, 54% were for male while 46% were for female patients with the highest number of patients in the 29-38 years age group. Most of the radiographs studied were normal examinations (38.95%). Moreover, the most common pathology was hypertensive heart failure (26.84%) with male preponderance (13.68%). Conclusion: Hypertensive heart disease is the most common pathologic finding of adult chest x-ray in the study area with elderly male preponderance.

Objective: To evaluate a modelling and design methodology employed in constructing and optimizing radiofrequency (RF) coils suitable for use with the whole-body fast-field-cycling Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FFC-MRI). It is also aimed at comparing the sensitivity and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the various types of surface RF coils constructed at the initial and final stages of this research. Methodology: An experimental study carried out at Biomedical MRI Laboratory at University of Aberdeen. Various designs of RF coil were constructed, optimized and tested with network/signal analyser for use with an experimental FFC - MRI scanner, operating at a detection magnetic field of 0.2 T (proton Larmor frequency of 8.5 MHz). The coils comprised circular loop (CL) RF – receive surface coil and a birdcage RF – transmit volume coil.  The intrinsic parameters of the CL coils were measured using a search-coil field probe and a network/signal analyser. Results: The CL surface coil constructed with copper wire had resonant frequency of 8.46 MHz and Quality factor (Q – factor) of 47.1 while the resonant frequency of the one constructed with litz wire was 8.54 MHz and Q - factor of 85.4 MHz. The intrinsic parameter of the birdcage volume coil was 8.48 MHz and Q - factor of 102. Conclusion: Bench testing of the coils showed promise as receiver and transmit coils for the FFC-MRI system

Objectives: to determine the common CT findings, prevalence, and causes of CT request based on age and gender of the patient's records under review. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted reviewing brain CT scan reports of patients referred for cranio-cervical Computed Tomography scan in Radiology Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto for a period of 13 months from January 2016 to February 2017. Data analysis: Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016, where descriptive statistic such as Mean, Median, Standard Deviation, Percentages, and Frequencies was generated. Result: male patient in the age group of 15-75 were mostly affected by head related injuries. The predominating cranio-cervical CT finding in the study conducted was noted to be infarction 34 (17.5%), followed by hemorrhage 28 (14.4%), fractures 21 (10.8%) and the edema 6 (3.1%). Unclassified findings had 23 (11.9%) and presumed to be mostly caused by RTA and head injuries of varying causes. Conclusion: common cranio-cervical CT finding in this locality is presumed to be infarction caused by RTA and other related head injuries