FC Rad Diag(SA) Part I 

THE COLLEGES OF MEDICINE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Incorporated Association not for gain
Reg No 1955/000003/08

Part I Examination for the Fellowship of the

College of Diagnostic Radiologists of South Africa
26 June 2019
Paper 1 Physics
All questions are to be answered. Each question to be answered in a separate book (or books if more than one is
required for the one answer)

2 a) Describe the interaction process of accelerated electrons in the target of an x-ray tube
leading to the production of x-rays and heat in the target. (6)
b) Briefly discuss, with the aid of a drawing, the process of photo electric effect and mention
how the probability of photo electric absorption depends on photon energy (E) and atomic
number of material (Z). (6)
c) Explain briefly, with the aid of a diagram, the Bucky grid and its function for conventional
radiography. (6)
d) Draw a spectrum generated in an x-ray tube (kV) and explain the changes in the most
important characteristics in the spectrum that will occur when the tube voltage is
increased. (6)
e) Describe the basic mode of operation on an image intensifier. (6)
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3 a) Discuss the concept “acoustic impedance” under the following headings
i) Give a definition. (1)
ii) How does it help to produce images in ultrasound imaging? (1)
iii) Describe what happens to the incident ultrasound beam when it is directed onto the
chest wall of a patient with healthy lung parenchyma. (1)
iv) Describe what happens to the incident ultrasound beam when it is directed onto the
chest wall of a patient with collapse consolidation of the directly underlying lung
lobe. (1)
b) Name the 6 different artefacts found in ultrasound imaging. (3)
c) Name 4 different Radiological modalities, which can be used to evaluate breast pathology
in the female patient. (2)
d) Why is adequate breast compression important in mammographic imaging? (3)
e) i) Discuss the concept “heel effect”. (1)
ii) Briefly explain how uniformity of the transmitted x-ray beam is achieved through the
breast. (1)
f) Name the 4 principal methods by which radiation exposure to patients and personnel can
be minimised. (4)
g) Discuss the concept; “inverse square law”. (2)
h) Biologic effects of radiation exposure can be classified as either stochastic or
deterministic. Define a) stochastic and b) deterministic effects of radiation by giving a
definition and example of each. (4)
i) Name 2 structural changes to large molecules, which may result due to exposure to
ionizing radiation. (2)
j) Define alpha decay. (2)
k) Name 2 principal methods by which radionuclides are produced in a nuclear reactor. (2)
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PTO/Page 2 Question 4…
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4 a) How does slice thickness influence contrast resolution in CT scanning? (2)
b) Why does pincushion distortion occur in fluoroscopy and how do we compensate for the
effects? (2)
c) How can blurring from patient or organ motion be reduced in fluoroscopy? (1)
d) Describe digital subtraction angiography as a fluoroscopic mode of operation. (5)
e) Describe the “view aliasing” artefact in CT scanning. (3)
f) With reference to nuclear magnetic moment, how are the magnetic properties of the
nucleus used in derivation of MRI signals? (6)
g) How does the use of air gap technique improve image quality in radiography? (1)
h) Describe free induction decay as related to MRI. (4)
i) Why is the photo-stimulable phosphor plate exposed to bright white light in the CR plate
readout process? (1)
j) Briefly describe the working principle of the indirect thin film transistor. (2)
k) What is proton density weighting used for in MR imaging? (1)
l) What is the difference between third and fourth generation CT scanners? (2)

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