Soo Foon Moey - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Soo Foon Moey

Introduction: In digital radiography, radiographers tend to increase exposure factors to acquire ... more Introduction: In digital radiography, radiographers tend to increase exposure factors to acquire an acceptable image quality thereby increasing radiation dose to patients. Regarding this, the present study aimed to re-evaluate the exposure parameters and to ascertain the entrance surface dose (ESD) and effective dose (ED) of posterior-anterior (PA) chest, abdomen, and anterior-posterior (AP) lumbosacral spine radiography. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 180 physically able patients with age of 20-60 years and weight of 60-80 kg referred to Hospital Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (HOSHAS) and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA).Image acquisition was performed using digital radiography. The ESD and ED were determined using CALDose_X 5.0 software. Results: The ESD and ED for PA chest were 0.098 mGy and 0.012 mSv in HOSHAS, while in HTAA were 0.161 mGy and 0.021 mSv respectively. Regarding the abdomen, the ESD and ED were 2.57 mGy and 0.311 mSv in HOSHAS and 2.16 mGy and 0.262 mSv in HTAA respectively. For AP lumbosacral spine, the ESD and ED for HOSHAS were 2.65 mGy and 0.222 mSv, while in HTAA were 2.357 mGy and 0.201 mSv respectively. Conclusion: The findings revealed the use of high kVp, automatic exposure control, correct focus image receptor distance, tight collimation and additional filter resulted in a lower ESD. The ESD and ED obtained in this study were comparable with those reported by other studies and lower than the values recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation in 2008.

Original Article Introduction: Optimization facilitates image quality and radiation dose by minim... more Original Article Introduction: Optimization facilitates image quality and radiation dose by minimizing stochastic and deterministic effects. This study was to obtain images of acceptable quality with no harmful effects for common radiographic examinations in digital imaging. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in three phases. The pre-optimization phase involved 90 physically able patients weighing 60-80 kg and aged 20-60 years. The estimation of dose and image quality was performed on four common digital radiographic examinations. The entrance surface dose (ESD) and effective dose (ED) were measured using a DAP meter (Kerma X_plus) and CALDose_X 5.0 Monte Carlo software, respectively. The second phase, an experimental study utilized an anthropomorphic phantom (PBU-50) and TOR CDR Leeds test object for comparison of image quality. In the optimization phase, the imaging parameters with acceptable image quality and lowest ESD from the experimental study were adjusted for patient's body thickness. Image quality was evaluated by two radiologists using the modified evaluation criteria score lists. Results: A significant difference was observed between the pre-and post-optimization phases for all examinations for image quality. However, ESD was significantly different between the two phases for PA chest and AP abdomen. The ESDs for three of the examinations were lower than those reported in all published studies. The ESD and ED obtained for all examinations were lower than recommended by radiation regulatory bodies. Conclusion: The optimization of image quality and dose was achieved by utilizing an appropriate tube potential, calibrated automatic exposure control, and additional filtration of 0.2 mm copper.

Original Article Introduction: The study was undertaken to evaluate the practice of chest radiogr... more Original Article Introduction: The study was undertaken to evaluate the practice of chest radiography using different digital imaging systems and its influence on dose and image quality. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in two hospitals from March 2016 to June 2016. Sixty ambulatory patients aged 21 to 60 years who were able to cooperate without difficulty and weighed between 60 to 80 kg were selected randomly. The active matrix flat panel imagers technology was employed in the direct radiography (DR) system for Hospital A, whilst Hospital B used the single read out computed radiography (CR) system. The dose area product (DAP) meter was utilized in measuring the entrance surface air kerma. The chest radiographs were evaluated by two radiologists. Results: The mean entrance surface doses (ESDs) for posteroanterior chest in Hospital A (0.098 mGy) was lower than that obtained in Hospital B (0.161 mGy). However, the ESDs at both centres were lower than the recommended value by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA; 0.3 mGy). The quality of the images for chest radiography in both hospitals was adequate to make a diagnosis with ESDs and effective doses lower than those recommended by IAEA and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Conclusion: The study serves to highlight the practice of chest radiography with two different systems and its influence on image quality and dose. It can be concluded that there were significant differences in image quality and radiation dose for chest radiography practice using CR and DR.

The challenges confronting Malaysia’s nursing training colleges in their futuristic movement towa... more The challenges confronting Malaysia’s nursing training colleges in their futuristic movement towards world class institutions are enormous. This paper examines the influence of transformational and transactional leadership styles employed by nursing academic leaders in creating a perceived work environment leading to subordinates’ well-being and onwards job satisfaction. This mix mode study used a cross sectional survey design and via focus group interview to obtain data from nurse educators in the nursing colleges under the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The responses from the questionnaires were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling while that of the qualitative aspect by using the software Atlas Ti. The findings indicated that transformational leadership played a highly significant role as well as a mediating role between transactional leadership style and nurse educators job satisfaction. Perception of work place engagement could play the role of perceived work environment and thus mediate between the relationship between leadership styles and job satisfaction of subordinates. Leaders that engaged in transformational leadership style and the contingent reward attribute of transactional leadership revealed as being able to intrinsically motivate subordinates via the psychological perceptions of well-being leading to engaged subordinates often displaying a deep positive emotional connection with their work and likely to go the extra mile to achieve organizational accomplishments. Transformational and transactional leadership work place engagement was found to be indirect and impacted through the mechanisms of perceived subordinates’ well-being where subordinates perceive their work as meaningful, were involved in their job and experience high degrees of influence ultimately leading to job satisfaction.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the air-gap technique as a substitut... more The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the air-gap technique as a substitute for the grid in the pelvic examination for patient radiation dose reduction while maintaining the image quality. An anthropomorphic phantom (PBU-50) was used in this study to simulate an actual human pelvic structure. The phantom was exposed for pelvic examination using the grid and the air-gap technique to compare the exposure factors, the patient dose and the image quality produced from both methods. The patient dose was measured using a Dose Area Product (DAP) meter which was then used to estimate the gonadal dose. The images were scored by three experienced radiographers based on the Commission of European Communities (CEC) image quality criteria to determine the image quality. The result of the study indicated that the air-gap of 25 cm was the optimum air-gap distance. The gonadal dose and the effective dose were reduced from 0.130 mGy to 0.062 mGy and from 0.357 mGy to 0.172 mGy respectively when using the air-gap technique and when using the grid. The study indicated that the image quality produced by the air-gap technique was more superior to the grid. In conclusion, besides the magnification issue, the air-gap technique is suitable to be used in the pelvic radiographic examination as it reduces the patient radiation dose while improving the image quality.

With the technological advancements in the medical imaging field, the past decade has witnessed a... more With the technological advancements in the medical imaging field, the past decade has witnessed a dramatic evolution of multimodality imaging systems. Scientists, technologists and researchers have been able to bring systems in clinical practice, in which two or more standalone diagnostic imaging modalities have been combined. Some of those multimodality imaging systems are: PET/CT, SPECT/CT, PET/MRI and PET/SPECT/CT. With this technique a patient is scanned in a single session and the desired structural and functional information of the organ of interest is achieved. Recent clinical imaging studies in the areas of cardiology, endocrinology, infection, musculoskeletal and neurology has shown, that with multimodality diagnostic imaging, a significant increase in diagnostic accuracy is achieved, as compared to single diagnostic imaging modality. In this review, emphasis is given to the technical aspects and clinical applications of the SPECT/CT hybrid imaging modality.

The conceptual framework is based on the Full Range Leadership by Avolio and Bass (2004) that the... more The conceptual framework is based on the Full Range Leadership by Avolio and Bass (2004) that theorized that transformational leadership can be clustered in five sub-constructs whilst the transactional leadership into two sub-constructs. Each dimension is measured using four items. The Full Range Leadership Theory being an effective leadership theory uses both transformational and transactional attributes in differing degrees depending on the situation and the ability of the subordinates. Even though transactional leadership is not able to develop trust and full potential of the followers but if coupled with the individualized consideration attribute of the leader, it can provide the platform for transformational leadership to ensue. This then can positively affect subordinates' motivation and performance. Organizations presently are marked by high interdependency and integration; hence the need for leadership that goes beyond that of transactional to transformational leadership styles with attributes such as inspiration, stimulation, motivation and charisma as these attributes are believed to be able to bring about cohesion, commitment, trust and performance. The conceptual framework assumes that transformational and transactional leadership-work place engagement is indirect and impacted through the mechanism of perceived subordinates' well-being, ultimately leading to job satisfaction. The importance of the nursing administrator in determining the nature of work environment is well documented and is of increasing significance to the retention of nurse educators. Perception of work place engagement could play the role of perceived work environment and thus mediate between the relationship between leadership styles and job satisfaction of subordinates.

Some conclusions from leadership models indicated that personality trait, the situation, leader m... more Some conclusions from leadership models indicated that personality trait, the situation, leader member relations and power influence the practice of leadership. Two theories; the Hagedorn Theory of Job Satisfaction (2000) and Bakker and Demerouti Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Theory (2007) together with Bass and Avolio (2004) Full Range Leadership Model make up the theoretical frame of the study. The importance of the transformational and transactional leadership styles in determining the nature of work environment is well documented and is of increasing significance to the retention of nurse educators. Leaders that engage in transformational leadership style and the contingent reward attribute of transactional leadership style tend to increase the value and significance of their work, resulting in subordinates to be intrinsically motivated via the perceptions of well-being. Engaged subordinates often display a deep positive emotional connection with their work, are likely to go the extra mile to achieve organizational accomplishments. The theoretical framework assumes that transformational and transactional leadership-work place engagement is indirect and impacted through the mechanism of perceived subordinates' well-being, ultimately leading to job satisfaction.