PRACTISE
Daily Spotter Drills
Short, high-yield diagnostic spotters updated regularly to test your eye.
- Format: Interactive Quiz
- Time to complete: 5 mins
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CLINICAL PRACTICE FRAMEWORKSOPEN ACCESS SURVIVAL GUIDE
Residents' Corner:The Acute On-Call Guide.
Practical emergency radiology protocols, reporting checklists, and 'don't-miss' pearls designed to keep you calm, methodical, and safe during busy night shifts.
HIGH-YIELD EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS
Reading-Room Cadence.When the clock is ticking.
High-frequency acute protocols designed for rapid consultant-safe decision-making during solitary on-call duty.
PROTOCOL 01 // Non-contrast CT + CT Angiography
Acute Stroke Imaging Protocol
Assessing hyperdense MCA sign, early ischemic changes (ASPECTS score calculation), and collateral scoring in acute stroke windows.
💡 Senior Clinical Pearl:
Look carefully at the insular ribbon and lentiform nucleus—often the first regions to lose gray-white differentiation.
PROTOCOL 02 // Arterial & Portal Venous CT
Acute Polytrauma Pan-Scan Cadence
Rapid ABCDE check sequence: pneumothorax/hemothorax, mediastinal hematoma, solid organ injury grades, pelvic fractures, and active contrast extravasation.
💡 Senior Clinical Pearl:
Contrast blush on arterial phase that expands on delayed phase confirms active arterial hemorrhage requiring IR embolization.
PROTOCOL 03 // Contrast-Enhanced Abdominal CT
Acute Abdomen & Bowel Ischemia
Differentiating mechanical small bowel obstruction from closed-loop strangulation, mesenteric ischemia, and perforated viscus.
💡 Senior Clinical Pearl:
Bowel wall hypoenhancement + mesenteric fat stranding = surgical emergency; do not wait for free intraperitoneal gas.
PROTOCOL 04 // Emergency MRI Lumbar Spine
Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome
Determining degree of spinal canal compromise, thecal sac obliteration, and disc fragment migration in emergency on-call requests.
💡 Senior Clinical Pearl:
Review axial T2 slices through the disk spaces carefully—verify presence of CSF surrounding the descending nerve roots.
ON-CALL RISK MITIGATION
The 'Don't-Miss' Checklist.Protecting patient safety.
Classic subtle radiologic findings frequently missed during midnight shifts. Always inspect these before hitting authorize.
1. Skull Base & Dens
Check basion-dens interval and powers ratio on trauma CTs. Missed craniocervical dissociation is catastrophic.
2. Bowel Wall Thinning
Paper-thin bowel wall with absence of mucosal enhancement indicates transmural necrosis; do not wait for perforation.
3. Pediatric Airway
True lateral soft-tissue neck x-ray in full extension. Measure retropharyngeal space at C2 and C6 to rule out retropharyngeal abscess.
FREE RESIDENCY RESOURCES
Expand Your Clinical Toolkit.Open educational materials.
Downloadable templates, clinical algorithms, and community discussion boards.
CONTINUE PREPARATION
Preparing for the next exam sitting?Transition from registrar to fellow.
Explore our specialized FRCR preparation pathways engineered to translate daily on-call experience into first-attempt Royal College success.