Chap 1 & 2

Question 1

What is radiodensity?

Answer 1

Physical qualities of an object that determines amount of radiation it absorbs from an x-ray beam

Question 2

What does radiodensity depend on?

Answer 2

•Dependent on:

•Atomic number (# of electrons with which an x-
ray photon can interact)
•Volume density
•Thickness

Question 3

What is radiographic density?

Answer 3

Amt of blackening of an image

Question 4

With a great radiodensity, we get ____________ resulting in a ____________ image

Answer 4

Less radiographic density, whiter image

Question 5

With less radiodensity, we get ____________ resulting in a ____________ image

Answer 5

more radiographic density, darker

Question 6

Radiopaque

Answer 6

Doesn’t easily penetrate xray - white

Because of great radiodensity. Ex: metal

Question 7

Radiolucent

Answer 7

Easily penetrated by xray = darker image

Decreased radiodensity. Ex: air

Question 8

4 major density = 4 shades of gray (radiographic density)

Answer 8

Air = black
Fat = gray-black
Water = gray
Bone = white

Question 9

The thicker an object, the _________ radiodense it will be

Answer 9

More (lighter image)

Question 10

Decubitus?

Answer 10

It describes both a body position on a horizontal surface and the use of a horizontal x-ray beam 

Question 11

4 image quality factors

Answer 11

Density
Contrast
Detail = motion
Distortion = size/shape

Question 12

Routine radiographs can prove 5 things. What are they?

Answer 12

Positive = right dx
Negative = wrong dx
Negative for one dx suspicion for another
Inconclusive = additional imaging needed
Wrong

Question 13

Search pattern of Radiology = ABCS

Answer 13

Alignment
Bone density
Cartilage spaces
Soft tissues

Question 14

Alignment

General skeletal architecture – Assess gross normal size, appearance & # of bones
What does it look at?

Answer 14

• Aberrant size of bones
• Supernumerary bone
• Congenital anomalies
• Absence of any bones
• Developmental deformities

Question 15

Alignment
General contour of bone - Assess each bone for normal shape & contour

Answer 15

• Internal or external irregularities
• Cortical outline of each bone should be smooth & continuous
• Osteophytes, spurs
• Breaks in cortex continuity

Question 16

Alignment

Alignment of bones relative to adjacent bones - Assess for normal positional relationships

Answer 16

• Fracture
• Dislocation
• Subluxation

Question 17

Bone density = what are the main things we look for?

Answer 17

General bone density
Textural abnormalities
Local density changes

Question 18

General bone density looks for?

Answer 18

Assess loss of bone density resulting in poor contrast btw soft tissues & bone as well as thinning or absent cortical margins.

• Sufficient contrast btw soft
tissue shade of gray & bone
shade of gray
• Sufficient contrast within each
bone- btw cortical shell &
cancellous center

Question 19

Texture abnormalities = Assess appearance of trabeculae

Answer 19

thin, delicate, lacy, coarsened, smudged, fluffy.

• Normal trabecular architecture

Question 20

Local density changes

Answer 20

Assess for excessive sclerosis, osteophytes

• Sclerosis at areas of ↑’d stress

Question 21

Cartilage Spaces = they look at? 3 things

Answer 21

Joint space width
Subchondral bone
Epiphyseal plates

Question 22

Joint space width

Answer 22

Assess ↓’d jt space for degen or traumatic conditions
• Well-preserved jt spaces imply

Question 23

Subchondral bone

Answer 23

Assess appearance for sclerosis seen in DJD, erosions

• Smooth surface

Question 24

Epiphyseal plates

Answer 24

Assess contralaterally for symmetry
• Depends on skeletal age

Question 25

Soft tissue

Answer 25

Muscles
Fat pads and fat lines
Joint capsules