DEPARTMENT OF RADIOGRAPHY

Background: Workflow efficiency is critical to the quality and timeliness of radiological services. In many healthcare institutions, inefficiencies such as staff shortages, equipment downtime, and poor coordination negatively impact productivity and patient satisfaction. Optimizing workflow ensures better service delivery, faster turnaround times, and improved staff performance.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate workflow optimization and efficiency in the Radiology Department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), identifying the major factors affecting workflow and assessing how existing work processes and staff interactions influence
efficiency.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Structured questionnaires
were administered to 41 respondents (radiographers and radiology staffs) at UBTH. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results: The findings revealed that 60% of respondents perceived the departmental workflow as moderately efficient, while 26% rated it as highly efficient and 14% considered it inefficient. Major factors affecting workflow included equipment breakdown (72%), inadequate staffing
(68%), and delayed report generation (64%). Conversely, 74% of participants agreed that teamwork and proper task coordination improved workflow, and 70% affirmed that the use of digital imaging systems enhanced overall efficiency.
Conclusion: Workflow efficiency in radiology can be enhanced through improved communication, staff training, adequate resource allocation, and the adoption of automation and digital technologies. Regular workflow evaluations and continuous quality improvement
initiatives are essential for sustaining efficiency in radiological services.
Keywords: Workflow Optimization, Efficiency, Radiology Department,

Ethical conduct is central to radiographic practice, ensuring professionalism, patient
safety, and trust in healthcare. Radiographers, however, frequently encounter ethical
dilemmas that influence their clinical decisions and adherence to professional
standards. This study investigated the nature and frequency of ethical challenges faced
by radiographers in selected hospitals and diagnostic centers within Benin Metropolis, as well as their effects on professional judgment and patient care. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. Data were obtained through
structured, self-administered questionnaires distributed to 72 respondents, including
licensed radiographers and final-year radiography trainees in both public and private
health facilities. Participants were selected using stratified and simple random
sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages
were used to summarize findings, while Chi-square analysis tested the hypothesis at a
0.05 level of significance. Results indicated that radiographers often encountered ethical challenges relating to
patient confidentiality, informed consent, and professional pressure. The chi-square
test revealed a significant association between ethical dilemmas and professional
decision-making (p < 0.05), suggesting that ethical issues significantly affect
radiographic practice and patient outcomes. The study concluded that ethical dilemmas are prevalent among radiographers in
Benin Metropolis and can influence their professional integrity and service delivery. Strengthening ethical awareness through continuous education, professional
workshops, and institutional policy enforcement is essential for improving ethical
standards and promoting patient-centered care.

Sports-related injuries are increasingly common in both recreational and competitive settings, and radiological imaging plays a central role in their diagnosis and management. This study assessed the knowledge and perception of radiographers in Edo State regarding sports imaging. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 48 radiographers across selected hospitals and diagnostic centers in Benin City, using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests at a 0.05 significance level. Findings showed that most respondents (81.3%) were aware of the applications of radiological imaging in sports, with strong recognition of X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound, but limited awareness of CT and nuclear medicine. Perceptions toward sports imaging were highly positive, with respondents affirming its vital role in injury management, rehabilitation, and the need for specialized training, while rejecting the notion that imaging is overused. Despite this positive outlook, actual practice was limited; only 12.5% had been involved in sports imaging, and many reported rarely or never performing such examinations. Among those involved, less than half followed specific protocols, and challenges such as lack of equipment (67.7%), limited training (61.3%), and poor referral patterns (48.4%) were identified as major barriers. Chi-square analysis revealed no significant association between years of professional experience and knowledge levels (χ² = 4.02, df = 6, p = 0.674), indicating that seniority did not predict expertise in sports imaging. The study concludes that while radiographers in Edo State demonstrate strong baseline knowledge and positive perceptions, their practical engagement remains low. Addressing equipment gaps, standardizing protocols, and implementing targeted continuing professional development programs are recommended to bridge the knowledge–practice divide.

This cross-sectional study assessed the Cardiothoracic Ratio (CTR) knowledge and application competency among 110 final-year radiography students at the University of Benin. While a significant majority (65.5%) achieved the required theoretical knowledge threshold, leading to the rejection of the Null Hypothesis (p=0.0006) , this success masked critical deficits in practical application and precision. Key weaknesses were identified in recognizing digital measurement tools (only 54.5% correct) and essential anatomical landmarks like the Aortic arch/knob (60.0% correct). Students identified the primary barriers to competence as systemic: 81.8% reported a lack of supervised clinical exposure, and 81.8% judged existing learning resources as inadequate. The study concludes that urgent curriculum reform, focusing on mandatory simulation and hands-on clinical demonstrations, is necessary to bridge the critical gap between theoretical knowledge and practical professional competency

While chest diseases are a leading cause of global mortality, their specific local presentation in many regions remains uncharted. This study aims to address this critical knowledge gap of common chest pathologies in adult patients who did chest CT in Benin city, Nigeria. A retrospective, cross-sectional review was performed on 350 adult chest CT results from University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Raytouch. Patient data was analysed for pathology prevalence, while Chi-square tests explored associations with gender and age. The findings reveal a significant dual burden of disease. Non-communicable diseases were led by lung cancer, the single most common finding (18.29%). This was immediately followed by major infectious diseases: pulmonary tuberculosis (13.43%) and pneumonia (11.43%). Gender-based differences were confirmed (p=0.008), with males exhibiting a higher prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchiectasis. Notably, 9.43% of all scans contained incidental findings, and 1.71% revealed unexpected tumors or masses. The study’s descriptive findings show that certain conditions like lung cancer, followed age trends. The descriptive data did highlight age related patterns for specific illnesses, such as lung cancer but did not find any statistically significant relationship looking at the entire range of pathologies across adult age groups (p=0.530). This study is the first to provide a CT-scan based reference for thoracic disease in Benin City. By precisely measuring the challenging overlap of highly prevalent cancers and infectious diseases, this research offers localised, essential evidence that can directly inform regional public health strategies and improve clinical diagnostic procedures.

This study determined the precision of X-ray reporting in detecting lung abnormalities in children at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Edo State. Lung diseases such as pneumonia remain major causes of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries, making accurate and prompt diagnosis essential. A retrospective quantitative study design was used to analyze chest X-ray findings of children aged 0–18 years examined between May and December 2024. Data were collected using a structured checklist including age, gender, clinical indication, radiological findings, and confirmed diagnosis, and analyzed using descriptive statistics with SPSS software. The results showed that pneumonia was the most common lung abnormality, followed by bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and tuberculosis. Most X-ray reports were accurately interpreted, though some errors were linked to poor image quality and varying levels of radiologist experience. Overall, X-ray reporting at UBTH was effective in detecting pediatric lung abnormalities. The study concludes that regular training, standardized reporting formats, and continuous quality assurance would further improve diagnostic accuracy and pediatric patient care.

This study investigates the electromagnetic radiation from cell phones on the blood parameters on Wister rats. With cell phones present in every aspect of daily life, both humans and by extension laboratory rats are exposed to RF radiation which may affect their hematological parameters and biological systems. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the hematological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation from cell phones on female Wistar rats under controlled exposure conditions. The specific objectives are to; (1) measure and compare red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and white blood cell count between Wistar rat exposed to cell phone RF-EMR and unexposed control rat, (2) measure and compare the weight differences between Wistar rats exposed to cell phone RF-EMR and unexposed control rats and (3) assess the relationship between exposure duration and the magnitude of changes in these hematological parameters. A randomized controlled experimental design was used, and involving 8 healthy adults female Wistar rats, aged 6–9 weeks and weighing 45– 65 g. A minimum of 4 rats were equally divided into 2 groups, i.e. 4 rats in the control group and 4 rats in the EMR exposed group. Rats were acclimatized for 9 days, with ad libitum food and water. Then each rat in the exposure group was placed individually in the chamber for 2 min/day during which the cell phone emitting the radiation was placed around the rat. Exposure is from the auto-answer mode cell phone which occurred for 2 minutes per day over 4 weeks. Post-exposure blood samples were compared within and between the two groups. The findings of this study showed that the exposed and control group were comparable in baseline characteristics and the analysis of White Blood Cell (WBC) parameters revealed no statistically significant impact of EMR exposure on7 the rats, but a significant rise in red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration was observed in the exposed rats when compared to the WBC findings. Also, the findings of the Platelet count and most platelet indices did not change significantly. The research concluded that specific and measurable significant alterations in the Red Blood Cell (RBC) profiles, while other parameters, notably White Blood Cells (WBCs) and Platelets, showed numerical trends but no statistically significant differences. It recommends that future studies should Increase the exposure duration per rat from 2 minutes up to 30 minutes and the experimental period should be extended from 4 weeks to 8 or 12 weeks to obtain more robust and reliable data.

This study investigates the electromagnetic radiation from cell phones on the bloodparameters on Wister rats. With cell phones present in every aspect of daily life, bothhumans and by extension laboratory rats are exposed to RF radiation which may affect their hematological parameters and biological systems. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the hematological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation from cell phones on female Wistar rats under controlled exposure conditions. The specific objectives are to; (1) measure and compare red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and white blood cell count between Wistar rat exposed to cell phone RF-EMR and unexposed control rat, (2) measure and compare the weight differences between Wistar rats exposed to cell phone RF-EMR and unexposed control rats and (3) assess the relationship between exposure duration and the magnitude of changes in these hematological parameters. A randomized controlled experimental design was used, and involving 8 healthy adults female Wistar rats, aged 6–9 weeks and weighing 45– 65 g. A minimum of 4 rats were equally divided into 2 groups, i.e. 4 rats in the control group and 4 rats in the EMRexposed group. Rats were acclimatized for 9 days, with ad libitum food and water. Then each rat in the exposure group was placed individually in the chamber for 2 min/day during which the cell phone emitting the radiation was placed around the rat. Exposure is from the auto-answer mode cell phone which occurred for 2 minutes per day over 4 weeks. Post-exposure blood samples were compared within and between the two groups. The findings of this study showed that the exposed and control group were comparable in baseline characteristics and the analysis of White Blood Cell (WBC) parameters revealed no statistically significant impact of EMR exposure on the rats, but a significant rise in red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration was observed in the exposed rats when compared to the WBC findings. Also, the findings of the Platelet count and most platelet indices did not change significantly. The research concluded that specific and measurable significant alterations in the Red Blood Cell (RBC) profiles, while other parameters, notably White Blood Cells (WBCs) and Platelets, showed numerical trends but no statistically significant differences. It recommends that future studies should Increase the exposure duration per rat from 2 minutes up to 30 minutes and the experimental period should beextended from 4 weeks to 8 or 12 weeks to obtain more robust and reliable data.

The research was on knowledge and perception of the radiographers on film-reporting in Edo State, Nigeria. The descriptive cross-sectional design was considered and data was collected through structured questionnaires that were conducted on 65 radiographers selected in a number of hospitals and diagnostic centres. The descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in analysing the data. The results showed that the majority of radiographers were well informed about the film reporting, and they acknowledged that it can enhance the efficiency of diagnostic procedures and patient care. Most of them gave favorable reports about the introduction of film reporting in radiographic practice and how it can help ease the workload of radiologists as well as improve their professional development. Nevertheless, the research has established some of the major obstacles like absence of formal training, policy support, medico-legal issues, and professional competition between radiographers and radiologists. The findings also indicated a significant role of academic background, workplace culture as well as radiographer support towards readiness to participate in film reporting. This paper concludes that radiographers in Edo state are informed, and eager to embrace the use of film reporting in case they are given proper training and enabling policies. It suggests that film reporting should be included in the radiography curriculum, the continuous professional development programs and the legal landscape should be clear to promote the safe and effective application of film-reporting practices in Nigeria.

The pregnancies present special safety concerns owing to the high levels of radiosensitivity of the embryo-fetus. This was an evaluation of radiation protection protocols used with pregnant patients when they undergo X-ray services at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). A cross-sectional (descriptive) survey of radiographers (N = 32) was done, where the survey utilizing a structured, self-administered questionnaire to respondents focused on the shielding practice, dose-reduction methods, and compliance aspects. Simple inferential test and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The majority of the respondents were male (78.1%), the most frequent age group was 26-30 years (35.9%); 53.1% of them were interns, and 87.5% had already worked with pregnant patients. Practice was high in terms of overall shielding (grand mean = 3.88/5) with routine lead shielding (mean = 4.1) and proper etching of the fetal-region shielding (mean = 4.0) being reported most frequently. There was also strong dose-reduction behavior (grand mean = 3.98), with avoiding repeat exposures (mean = 4.4), reducing exposure factors (mean = 4.2) and tight collimation (mean = 4.1) being the leaders. The best compliance was observed with confidence in fetal-risk knowledge (mean = 4.0) and prior-training (mean = 3.9) with high workload (mean = 3.6) and moderate availability/use of pregnancy specific protocols (mean = 3.5) being considered gaps. All in all, the good shielding practice was demonstrated by 78.1 percent of radiographers. A chi-square test revealed no statistically significant difference between the practice categories of shielding (kh2= 0.08, df= 1, p= 0.77). To sum up, radiographers in the teaching hospital of the university of Benin demonstrate good commitments to practices in line with the ALARA to the care of pregnant patients, especially in shielding and collimation as well as reducing repeats. Prolonged CPD, protocols specific to pregnancy, enhanced workflow facilitation, and an unproblematic access to maternity-fit shielding are suggested in order to seal the remaining gaps. Data collection had to be pre-empted with ethical approval and institutional permissions.