perspective

A step away from the travelogue to expose my weakness in one of the very things that I teach against. In my radiology teaching, I tie together 3 observations that I have made.

1. Most people think they can't read radiographs (x-rays)

2. You will see on a radiograph what you want to see

3. What you know about the patient doesn't change what is on the radiograph

I use these three facts to demonstrate how the general medical or veterinary population misleads itself when trying to interpret radiographs, and encourage students to concentrate on what they actually see. Well, the last couple of days I was interfacing with someone back home (J:) I have taken out most of the boring part, but have included the interchange below to demonstrate how easy it is to mislead yourself. We start with (J:) asking a simple question. (S:) is of course me!

J: How do you like the IU22?

S: Sorry, don't know what you're talking about. My sister called me during the Illinois Indiana game last week to complain about the poor sportsmanship of Illinois... Problem was, I didn't even know they were playing. I'm sure that if Illinois was doing better, I would be more attentive, but aside from the weekend jaunts, I seem to be too busy to pay attention. I assume you are talking about basketball, but don't know... Please fill me in and I'll give my opinion. thanks

J: I saw a position announcement that says they (Oregon State) have a Philips IU22 ultrasound machine. That is what we're looking at here to replace the ATL. It seems to be getting very good reviews and I was curious if you've had a chance to use it and how you like it.

S: Wow, dufus here. I knew it was a Philips, a "grandson" of the ATL at Illinois. Of all of the machines I have used away from Illinois, I like it best... probably because it is most like the ATL. I think the images are comparable. I probably don't know enough to "put it through it's paces". For everyday use, the 2 features that are plus and minus are that the keyboard is "under" the control panel and slides out. You use it very seldom during the exam unless you want or need to put in manual text labels. There is also a touch screen for labeling, etc. You hit the "annotation key" and the correct set of labels comes up for what you are doing, you just touch it. One little thing that annoys me (again most likely my lack of understanding). For instance, you have the liver label up, then go to the spleen, you have to first hit, erase text or when you label the spleen you will have liver and spleen. Not a big thing. If I remember correctly, with the ATL, the new label replaces the old unless you intentionally move the cursor. That could be set up also. The probes are pretty much the same. The up and down adjustment are the same. So to answer your simple question.... yes, I like it. duh!! I thought Eric Gordon's number was 23....

J: Thanks. Who's eric gordon?

For some reason, I though he was talking about something to do with Indiana basketball, while the machine he was asking about was something I was using every day without knowing the model number. As you can see, once I know the subject, I had lots to say.

To quote a philosophical giant in music;, "you gotta watch what you're doin!"

Oh, perspective: The picture at the top IS of 2 bull elk. Here we are surrounded by mountains where there are many signs for deer and elk crossing. This picture was take along the road just north of Mulberry..... Indiana.

ps

Sorry, I can't pass this up. I just typed this and Georgia was watching American Idol. I finish this, and go over to sit down and watch... just in time to see Amanda Overmyer and see that she is from....... Mulberry, Indiana... If I'm lyin, I'm dyin! How many people in this world even know where Mulberry, Indiana is. How's that for perspective??? I'm ending... again.

Oh, one last note on perspective. Take a look at this last picture and see how it differs from the one at the top... It's perspective.