Search

Introduction: Medical curricula are currently being reformed in order to establish interactive and case-based teaching concepts. Here we present a novel radiological course combining several innovative training components and report our initial experience with its practical implementation and the students' evaluation of it., Methods: A novel longitudinal radiological teaching course was established, integrated with the medical curriculum and evaluated systematically. Radiology case vignettes were created for three clinical teaching modules. Using a PC with PACS access, web-based databases and CASUS cases, a problem-oriented, case-based, and independent way of learning was implemented, which served as a complementary form of teaching to established radiology courses and lectures., Results: In student evaluations the novel CLICR course fared significantly better than the conventional radiology block course. More than 50% of the participating students gave the highest rating for 'overall satisfaction' with the novel CLICR course compared to only 3% for 'overall satisfaction' with the conventional block course. A similar trend was observed for the other endpoints. Both the innovative interactive concept of the course and the opportunity to use a web-based database has been favourably accepted by students., Conclusion: An interactive, case-based teaching concept like the presented CLICR course, and web-based databases appear to be useful extensions to the radiology course programme., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) seems to be a useful tool for prostate cancer (PCa) detection in patients with a previous negative biopsy but persistently increased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values. Additionally, it enables correct cancer localization in patients with known PCa under active surveillance to avoid misclassification on repeat biopsies. Nevertheless, suspicious lesions on MRI findings need verification by biopsy. The aim of the present study was to establish a standardized functional prostate MRI reporting scheme., Methods: Prostate MRI with T(2)-weighted images, T(1)-weighted images, diffusion-weighted imaging, and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of 56 consecutive patients were performed on a 3-T scanner. Patients with prior negative random transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy and continuous suspicion for PCa as well as patients under active surveillance were included. The MRI localization report of suspicious lesions followed a standardized scheme. TRUS-guided random biopsy with addition of targeted biopsy cores was performed afterwards based on the structured report., Results: Of the 56 patients, 18 had suspicious MRI findings and subsequently underwent repeat biopsy under guidance of the standardized localization scheme. PCa was documented in 72% (13/18)., Conclusions: A standardized reporting scheme of suspicious findings on prostate MRI leads to higher success rates as compared to standard random TRUS-guided biopsy., (Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: Medical curricula are currently being reformed in order to establish superordinated learning objectives, including, e.g., diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive competences. This requires a shifting from traditional teaching methods towards interactive and case-based teaching concepts. Conceptions, initial experiences and student evaluations of a novel radiological course Co-operative Learning In Clinical Radiology (CLICR) are presented in this article., Materials and Methods: A novel radiological teaching course (CLICR course), which combines different innovative teaching elements, was established and integrated into the medical curriculum. Radiological case vignettes were created for three clinical teaching modules. By using a PC with PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) access, web-based databases and the CASUS platform, a problem-oriented, case-based and independent way of learning was supported as an adjunct to the well established radiological courses and lectures. Student evaluations of the novel CLICR course and the radiological block course were compared., Results: Student evaluations of the novel CLICR course were significantly better compared to the conventional radiological block course. Of the participating students 52% gave the highest rating for the novel CLICR course concerning the endpoint overall satisfaction as compared to 3% of students for the conventional block course. The innovative interactive concept of the course and the opportunity to use a web-based database were favorably accepted by the students. Of the students 95% rated the novel course concept as a substantial gain for the medical curriculum and 95% also commented that interactive working with the PACS and a web-based database (82%) promoted learning and understanding., Conclusion: Interactive, case-based teaching concepts such as the presented CLICR course are considered by both students and teachers as useful extensions to the radiological course program. These concepts fit well into competence-oriented curricula.