2W: Musculoskeletal & Emergency Radiology

School of Medicine

Students will spend two weeks in the musculoskeletal/ emergency radiology reading room. It's a bustling place where MSK-subspecialty trained radiology faculty, MSK fellows, and radiology residents interpret musculoskeletal studies and selected studies performed in the Emergency Department, as well as provide consultation services to a variety of physicians (emergency, trauma team, general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, infectious diseases, internal medicine, rheumatology, etc.). Students will be exposed to a broad spectrum of musculoskeletal pathology including trauma, athletic injuries, arthritis, infection, neoplastic conditions, expected post-operative changes, and post-operative complications. Imaging modalities will include conventional radiographs, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography and, possibly, ultrasonography. Students will have the opportunity to observe interventional procedures such as fluoroscopically-guided arthrography and CT/US-guided biopsies. In addition to daily teaching at the PACS monitors using live cases, there will be didactic lectures/ case presentations written specifically for this course focusing on trauma, sports injuries, arthritis, and the basics of musculoskeletal neoplasms. The advantages and limitations of the various modalities utilized will be emphasized. The didactic component of the elective will be further enhanced by daily noon radiology conferences. The course will be of particular interest to students contemplating careers in radiology, orthopaedic surgery, sports medicine, and emergency medicine; however, any student interested in learning more about the musculoskeletal system or radiology is encouraged to attend. At the conclusion of the two-week elective rotation, students will be able to accurately describe fractures, have an organized approach to diagnosing arthritis, recognize significant athletic injuries on MRI, have a basic understanding of the concept of aggressiveness of musculoskeletal neoplasms, and have an understanding of the strengths and limitations of the modalities used by radiologists in diagnosing a variety of conditions.