Learning Radiology in an Integrated Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Curriculum

Background: The Faculty of Medicine (FoM) has been training health professions in Uganda since 1924. Five years ago; it decided to change the undergraduate curriculum from traditional to Problem Based Learning (PBL) and adopted the SPICES model. Radiology was integrated into the different courses throughout the 5 year program. The objective was to improve the implementation of the integration of Radiology in the integrated PBL curriculum. Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study of radiologists and medical students using interviews and semi-structured questionnaires respectively. Results: Radiologists' and students' perceptions and opinions on Radiology training were gathered. A Radiology training rationale was developed. Learning outcomes for Radiology were defined and learning formats were chosen. Learning materials were identified and strategies to improve the implementation were formulated. Conclusions: This work has culminated into changes in Radiology integration in the curriculum and training at the FOM

The importance of computed tomography findings in the management of intracranial infections: experince at Mulago Hospital

Mulago Hospital recently acquired a computed tomography (CT) scanner. Intracranial infections arehighly prevalent in third world countries; more so in the AIDS era. CT isa useful non-invasive method of investigating intracranial infections. No data on the value of CT and intracranial infections is available from Uganda and the East African region. We carried out a cross-section descriptive study to evaluate the role of CT in these patients presenting at Mulago Hospital. The specific objectives were to ascertain the frequency ofa various intracranial infections; describe their CT pattern and determine the role of CT in choosing the optimal therapeutic approach. The commonest group of infections were cerebral abscesses (44) which included pyogenic; tuberculous and toxoplasma abscesses; followed by meningitis of variable aetiology (28) and encephalitis (16). CT findings suggestive of pyogenic abscesses and empyaema were invariably an indication for surgery. Appropriate cosnservative therapy was administered in the other patients based on the CT scan together with the relevant clinical and laboratory findings. Theis article illustrates the fact that a good CT characterisation of lesions gives the clinician a working diagnosis on which his therapeutic approach can be based