Other Xrays. Candidates were asked to describe the X-ray findings, list possible aetiologies, and suggest relevant further investigations or treatment.
Introductory questions included:
"This is an abdominal radiograph of a man with abdominal pain and septic shock. Describe any abnormalities present and list three precipitating life-threatening causes."
"A 50 year old man was admitted to ICU following major surgery. Post operatively, he persistently complains of bilateral ankle pain. Bilateral ankle x-rays are performed Describe the significant radiological abnormality. His pre-operative chest radiograph is found , what obvious abnormality has been missed?"
"This is the CT brain scan of a man who presents with sudden loss of consciousness. Please describe the abnormalities."
"This is the abdominal radiograph of a 30 year old diabetic woman with loin pain and septic shock. Describe any abnormalities present."
Findings to be identified included: air in portal venous system, hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy, subarachnoid haemorrhage, air in bladder and renal tissue emphysema.
Eleven out of sixteen candidates passed this station.
Disclaimer: the viva stem above may be an original CICM stem, acquired from their publicly available past papers. Or, perhaps it is a slightly altered version of the original CICM stem. Or, it is a completely original viva stem, concocted by the monstrously amoral author of Deranged Physiology for nothing more than his own personal amusement. In either case, because the college do not make the main viva text or marking criteria available, almost everything here has been confabulated. It might sound like a plausible viva and it could be used for the purpose of practice, but all should be aware that it does not represent the "true" canonical CICM viva station.