Diagnostic Imaging Flashcards
5 radio opacities
Air
Fat
Fluid (soft tissue)
Mineral (bone)
Metal
What colour is radio opaque
White
What happens to a structure furhter away from the imaging plate?
It is magnified
Structures closer to cassette appear smaller than those further away (like a hand in a shadow)
What colour is positive and negative summation?
Positive -> white, two soft tissue opacities = thicker and more opaque
Negative -> two gas opacities become darker
What is border effacement? **
AKA negative silhouette sign
Two structures with same opacity next to each other result in loss of border
Eg right middle lung lobe with soft tissue opacity due to fluid or abscess effacing border of the heart
What is border enhancement?
AKA positive silhouette sign
Silhouette of adjacent objects of the same opacity is enhanced when surrounded by a different tissue opacity (eg in a pneumothorax the heart looks more defined)
What is PLACE used for?
To assess quality
- Positioning
- Labelling
- Artifacts
- Collimation and centering
- Exposure
7 descriptive factors to describe abnormalities: (roentgen signs)
Size
Shape
Location/position
Margination
Number
Opacity
Function
SSLMNOF
What is a radiological diagnosis?
Diagnosis that can be made from 1 radiograph alone with no other info
What are the 7 possibilities for differential diagnosis?
DAMNITV
Degenerative
Anomalous/acquired
Metabolic
Neoplastic
Infectious, inflammatory, immune
Traumatic
Vascular
Steps to write a rad report
- Identify case - name, species, maturity
- Identify all views taken
- Evaluate radiographic quality
- Describe all radiographic abnormalites
- Conclusion (list radiologic diagnosis, list prioritised differential diagnosis)
- Consider further imaging procedures that would be of value
What is a bias error?
Expecting to find something
What is a searching error?
Not being systematic and thorough
Over reliance on pattern recognition
What is a recognition error?
Abnormalities recognised but given too much weight or not taken into account causing a misinterpretation of results
Over or under reading
What is a decision making error?
Which abnormalities are assumed to be important
What is an egocentric error?
Overestimating your personal grasp of the truth
How many orthogonal views should be taken?
Minimum of 2
eg ML and CrCd
What should radiographs of long bones include?
Proximal and distal adjacent joints
What should views of joints include?
1/3 of bone above and below
What is the epiphysis?
Top or end of the bone
What is the metaphysis?
Just below epiphysis
What is the diaphysis?
Whole central part of bone
What is the physis?
growth plate - primary centre for ossification
What is the apophysis?
Part of bone with physis, but unlike epiphysis does not have a joint
What is the periosteum?
Membrane covering the outside of the bone
Endosteum
Membrane on the inner part of the bone
Trabeculae
Small fine lines on the ends of bones
What is intramembraneous ossification?
Ossification in fibrous tissue -> flat bones, skull and most facial bones
Mesenchymal tissue replaced by bone
Ossifies in embryo -> diaphysis then epiphysis
Periosteum produces bone by intramembranous ossification
Grow in length on the metaphysial side
What is endocondral ossification?
Ossification of preformed cartilage frame (cartilage replaced by bone)
Typical long bone has 3 centres of ossification
1. Diaphysis (primary centre)
2. Epiphysis (secondary ossification centres)
What side of the physis do we see increased bone opacity?
Metaphyseal side
Primary centre of ossification
Diaphysis - growing and lengthening
Secondary centres of ossification
Epiphysis -> bone length
Apophysis -> bone shape
Small bones -> carpi, tarsi
Accessory centres of ossification
Sesamoid bones
Focal areas of mineralisation near joints
What are sesamoid bones? What do they lack?
Small smooth rounded structures formed where tendons pass over a joint to reduce friction, protect and stabilse a tendon
Usually one one surface is articular
Lacks a periosteum
Where are accessory ossification centres (ossicles) normally found?
Many locations usually near joints or embedded in joint capsule
Generally represent normal variants that need to be differentiated from pathology
Examples of an accessory ossification centre
Accessory caudal glenoid ossification centre -> Found in medium-large breed dogs and failure to unite can cause pain
Clavicles -> ossified in 96% large dogs and all cats
Pelvis -> acetabular rim craniodorsal margin may not fuse completely
Os penis -> usually 1 but can develop 2+ centres
Coronoid process - incomplete ossification associated with elbow dysplasia
2 normal radiographic features of bone
Nutrient foraminae -> in all long bones, location of major blood vessels and nerves supplying medulla
Mach lines -> 2 cortical surfaces are superimposed causing optical illusion of a radiolucent line
2 types of joints
Synarthroses - not synovial (immovable joints like teeth to mandible)
Diarthrosis - synovial (freely moveable like elbow, ankle, knee)
4 Standard projections for joints
- Craniocaudal
- Caudocranial
- Mediolateral
- CrMCdLO (craniomedial caudolateral oblique or CrLCdMO
Flexed or extended, with traction or torsion
What is stress radiography for joints?
Applying force like compression, rotation, traction, shear and wedge
What is 5 alternative imaging for joints?
Arthrography
Ultrasound
MRI
Contrast athrography - inject contrast medium to see cartilage joint (invasive hole in joint)
Computed tomography
What does increased opacity indicate?
Productive or sclerotic changes
What does decreased opacity indicate?
Osteolysis or osteoporosis
5 ways bones react to disease
- Increased opacity
- Decreased opacity
- Periosteal reaction (new bone)
- Change in size or contour
- Change in trabecular pattern
What is Wolff’s law?
Bone responds to stresses placed on bone -> osteoblast and clast activity
Remodelling
- Periosteal, cortical, subchondral, endosteal and cancellous
Endosteum -> lines medulla inside bone
Periosteum -> Lines outside
ABCDS for musculoskeletal evaluation
Alignment
Bones
Cartilage
Devices
Soft tissue
ABCDS -> alignment
Describe distal part relative to proximal part
eg Lateral displacment of antebrachium relative to the humerus
Antibrachium - region from wrist to elbow
ABCDS -> bone
Response of bone is limited to:
Response of bone is limited to:
- Increased radio-opacity -> Sclerosis - increased density of bone OR apparent sclerosis (superimposition of bones)
- Decreased radio-opacity -> seen after 7-10d. Osteomalacia (poor quality good quantity), osteopaenia (good quality, poor quantity) or osteolysis (abnormal focal area of bone resorption)
4 Roentgen signs of osteopaenia
Reduced bone opacity
Cortical thinning
Coarse trabeculae
Loss of lamina dura around teeth
good quality, bad quantity of bone
In a diseased bone what is the usual response with decreased radio opacity?
Combination of lysis and sclerosis
Aggressiveness of bone lesion determined by looking at:
Location and distribution
Presence of cortical disruption
Pattern of lysis and production
Type of periosteal reaction
Rate of change of lesion
Zone of transition
4 Factors involved in assessing location of lesion
General or diffuse -> metabolic or nutritional
Whole limb -> disuse atrophy or neuropathy
Focal or multifocal
Symmetrical
Monostotic vs polystotic lesions
Monostotic -> primary bone tumours occur principally in the metaphyseal area. Can be cancerous or not cancerous
Polostotic -> metastatic tumours often more than one bone involved usually within diaphysis. Spread from elsewhere to bone
Signs of cortical involvement
- Thickened cortex
- Thinned cortex
- Broken cortex
If no cortical involvment -> likely benign
Look at both endosteal surfaces and periosteal
3 bone lysis patterns from least to most aggressive
- Geographic
- Moth eaten
- Permeative
Describe geographic lysis
Uniformly destroyed with defined border
Well demarcated, cortex expanded but not lytic
Often benign
Describe moth eaten lysis and 3 things it could be caused by
Ragged borders, multiple areas of lysis 3-10mm in size
Cortex irregularly eroded
Bone tumours, multiple myeloma and osteomyelitis
Describe permeative lysis
ill defined and spreading through marrow space
multiple pinpoint areas of lysis, cortex irregularly eroded
most agressive
Most likely bone tumour
Name 6 continuous periosteal reactions
Smooth and solid
Codmans triangle
Rough and solid
Lamellar
Brush border
Pallisading
Name 3 interrupted periosteal reactions
Spicular
Sunburst
Amorphous
Causes of lamellar periosteal reaction
Single layer of new bone
Onion skin -> trauma, infection
Which type of periosteal reaction is associated with malignancy?
Amorphous periosteal reaction
Random deposition of new bone in soft tissue adjacent to lesions
What is codmans triangle?
Occur when bone lesions are so aggressive the periosteum is lifted off the bone
Triangular cuff at edge of aggressive lesion formed due to periosteal elevation
Caused by anything that lifts periosteum off the cortex both benign and aggressive - haematoma or fracture
Not pathognomonic for a tumour
How long do destructive and productive changes take to be seen on radiograph?
Destructive -> 5-7d to be seen
Productive -> 10-14d to be seen
What is a transition zone and what does it mean if it is abrupt or indistinct?
Appearance of region between lesions and adjacent normal bone
Short and abrupt -> benign
Indistinct -> aggressive
4 Features of benign lesions
- Well defined border
- Lack of soft tissue mass
- Solid periosteal reaction
- Geographic bone destruction
4 features of malignant lesions
- Interrupted periosteal reaction
- Moth eaten or permeative destruction
- Soft tissue mass
- Wide zone of transition
What density is cartilage?
Soft tissue density -> cannot see it on radiographs clearly
How do we assess cartilage on radiographs?
Soft tissue changes -> opacity changes, swellings, atrophy
Subchondral bone destruction or sclerosis
Narrowing of joint spaces, intra-articular fractures
3 causes of gas opacity changes
- Laceration
- Gas producing organism
- Iatrogenic
3 causes of mineralisation
- Dystrophic
- Metastatic
- Neoplastic
3 causes of opacity changes
- Gas
- Mineralisation
- Foreign material
2 causes of enlargments in soft tissue
- Intracapsular soft tissue swelling -> centred on a joint, soft tissue opacity effusion
- Extracapsular soft tissue swelling -> away from joint or extends beyond joint, may obscure intra-capsular swelling
What are 2 tell tale aggressive locations?
Metaphyseal (primary bone tumour)
Diaphyseal (metastatic bone tumours)
What does it suggest if the cortex is broken?
Aggression
What would the zone of transition be like in an aggressive lesion?
Indistinct, permeative, long zone of transition
What would the zone of transition be like in a non-aggressive lesion?
Sharp, distinctive short zone of transition
4 periosteal reactions suggesting an aggressive lesion
Indistinct, permeative, spiculated, amorphous
Periosteal reaction suggesting a non-aggressive lesion
Smooth continuous
4 bones in the carpus
Radiocarpal bone
Intermediate
Ulnar
Accessory
What is horizontal beam radiography used for?
To see gas or fluid in the peritoneum
If the animal is in pain to keep them still
What is stress radiography good for?
Aids in joint laxity
Limb is stabilised above and below join or other area of interest
Force is applied to joint and instability shown
Standard views of the scapula
Le to Rt Lateral
CdCr
May need two laterals: body and neck of scapula
Shoulder joint / scapula neck standard views
ML
CdCr
Optional: Flexed ML, CrCd or skyline (CrPrCrDiO)
3 ligaments attaching to shoulder joint
Biceps brachii tendon
Transverse humeral ligament (medial)
Glenohumeral ligaments (medial and lateral)
What is a skyline image?
CrPrCrDiO
Standard views of the humerus
ML
CdCr
Include proximal and distal joints in
Standard views of the elbow
ML
Flexed ML
CrCd
Special views of the elbow
Cr15degreesL - CdMO for a fragmented medial coronoid process and shows medial humeral condyle
Cr15degreesM-CdLO for incomplete ossification humeral condyle fissures
Elbow ligaments
Lateral and medial collateral ligaments
Annular ligament of radius
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Cr15degreesL-CdMO view of elbow benefit
Improve visibility of medial coronoid process and medial humeral condyle
Standard views of the carpus
DPa
ML
Special views of the carpus
Flexed ML
Stressed extended
Obliques
Manus standard views
Dpa
ML
Any oblique view to highlight specific digits and sesamoids
Special views of the manus
Stressed digit -> use porous tape or cotton wool to splay digits on ML view
Compression
Pelvis standard views
Laterolateral
Extended VD
Optional flexed frog leg VD
Pelvis special views
any oblique to highlight specific area
Hip dysplasia views
Extended VD
Penn hip
View of pelvis if one side positioned in front of the other
Right cranial left caudal oblique
(left would be in front (cranial) here)
Important factors in VD extended coxofemoral view (hips)
Entire pelvis in including proximal tibia
Must be symmetric = femurs parallel and patellae in middle of stifle (legs turned slightly in so patella superimposed over distal femur)
Animal in dorsal recumbency, collimation includes lasat 2 lumbar vertebrae and patellas
3 ligaments in sacroiliac joint
Dorsal sacroiliac ligament
Ventral sacroiliac ligament
Sacrotuberous ligament
Hip joint features
Joint capsule
Ligament of head of femur
Transverse acetabular ligament
VD flexed frog leg process and reason
Good for fractures and can see degree of subluxation in hip dysplasia
Dorsal recumbency
Pelvic limbs flexed
Collimation includes last 2 lumbar vertebrae, proximal femurs and tuber ischii
Penn hip method
- Obtains OA readings from standard hip extended view
- Obtains hip joint congruity readings from compressed view
- Obtains quantitative measurements of hip joint laxity from distraction view
Accurate in puppies as young as 16wks
What DI rating is unlikely to develop OA from hip dysplasia (penn hip)
DI <0.3 (femoral head comes out of joint by <30%) is unlikely to develop OA from hip dysplasia
Femur standard views
ML
CrCd
Stifle standard views
ML
CdCr or CrCd
Flexed ML
5 ligaments of the stifle joint
- Medial femoropatellar ligament
- Tendon of quad femoris
- Patellar ligament
- Medial collateral ligament
- Region of menisci (cranial and caudal cruciate ligament)
Skyline of patella view and its use
CrPrCrDiO
Used to better visualise patella and trochlear groove
Used in cases of medial or lateral luxating patella
Often in horses for sagittal fracture of patella
Standard views tarsus
ML
PlD
DPl
Special views tarsus
Flexed ML
Extended ML
Relevant obliques for pathology
Flexed DPl view (skyline)
For a horse with OCD what view of the tarsus is done?
Flexed ML