Victor .C. Egbukichi

Radiography is expected to be a profession where practitioners perform diagnostic imaging procedures while adhering to standard safety protocols, ergonomic principles, and best practices designed to safeguard their physical and psychological well-being. This study set out to evaluate the perceived impact of radiography practices on radiographers working in Edo State hospitals. A total of 95 questionnaires were distributed, with 82 valid responses analysed, representing an 86.3% response rate. The findings revealed that conventional procedures such as chest X-rays, extremities, and abdominal radiography dominate daily workflow, while advanced modalities like MRI and mammography are less frequently performed. Most radiographers reported conducting more than 15 procedures per day, reflecting a heavy workload. The analysis of physical health challenges showed that musculoskeletal complaints, particularly lower back pain, fatigue, and joint or limb pain, were the most significant, while skin and eye irritation was less frequently perceived. On the psychological front, stress, burnout, and overwork due to limited staffing were highly rated, though many radiographers still indicated some degree of job satisfaction. Pearson correlation confirmed a significant positive relationship between radiographic practices and both physical and psychological health outcomes, establishing that workload and procedural demands directly influence the well-being of radiographers in Edo State. The study concludes that radiographic practice in Edo State is marked by a reliance on high- volume conventional imaging, which, while essential for service delivery, has notable consequences on radiographers’ health. The physical burden of repetitive procedures and patient handling, combined with the psychological pressures of heavy workload and limited institutional support, significantly affect professional well-being. Keywords: Practice, Radiography, physical health, musculoskelectal.

The increasing reliance on diagnostic radiography in modern medicine has made patient safety a critical component of healthcare delivery. Among the essential radiation protection measures
employed during X-ray procedures are lead aprons and gonad shields, which serve to limit exposure to ionizing radiation, particularly to radiosensitive organs. The study aimed to assess the use of lead aprons and gonad shields during routine X-ray examinations at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Raytouch diagnostics with emphasis on frequency, knowledge, attitudes, and influencing factors. A descriptive cross sectional survey was adopted, census sampling technique was used to select a total of 37 radiographers participated, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The findings revealed that most radiographers demonstrated good knowledge of radiation protection principles and recognised the importance of shielding in reducing unnecessary exposure. The frequency of lead apron use
was high, particularly for paediatric and routine examinations, while gonad shield use was moderate due to issues such as limited availability, perceived interference with image quality, and time constraints. Despite these challenges, radiographers generally acknowledged the ethical responsibility of maintaining radiation safety and prioritised shielding where feasible. Institutional support through policies, training, and equipment availability was identified as a strong motivating factor for compliance. The test of hypothesis confirmed a significant association between radiographers’ knowledge and their use of radiation protection tools, implying that the more informed a radiographer is, the more consistent their protective practice becomes.

Abdominal pain is one of the most frequent presenting complaints in emergency departments (EDs), with a wide differential diagnosis ranging from benign to life-threatening conditions. These conditions include gastrointestinal pathologies such as appendicitis, peptic ulcers, and bowel obstructions, as well as non-gastrointestinal disorders like myocardial infarction or aortic aneurysm rupture. The aim of this study was to evaluate evaluate the common findings of emergency abdominal x-rays at university of Benin teaching hospital. A retrospective design was adopted and a convenience sampling was used to select 200 sample size. The results revealed that abdominal pain (30.0%), and bowel obstruction (26.0%), were the most common clinical signs. Normal study (40.0%) was the most common radiography appearance, and the most common abnormal results were dilated bowel loops and pneumoperitoneum. Demographically, young adults (20-39 years old) constituted the largest percentage (52.0) with majority of them being females (58.0) as compared to the males. The chi-square showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between age or gender and radiography findings. The conclusion of the findings was that the most common requests of an emergency abdominal X-ray at UBTH are related to patients presenting with abdominal pain with suspected bowel obstruction. Despite a large percentage of tests with normal outcomes, the modality is still applicable in the diagnosis of bowel obstruction, pneumoperitoneum, and foreign bodies.