IMAGE ARTIFACTS Flashcards
What is an artifact in radiography?
An undesirable optical density or blemish on a radiograph.
How are artifacts classified in radiography?
Processing artifacts, Exposure artifacts, and Handling & Storage artifacts.
What is an exposure artifact?
An artifact associated with the manner in which the radiographer conducts the examination.
How can exposure artifacts be prevented?
Proper patient preparation and instruction.
What is a common cause of double exposure?
Reusing cassettes that have already been exposed.
What causes blur in radiographs?
Improper patient movement, including breathing.
How can grid cutoff artifacts occur?
Improper patient positioning.
What is the importance of patient preparation?
It is essential for producing artifact-free images.
What are processing artifacts?
Artifacts produced during the film processing phase.
How are pressure-type artifacts characterized?
They sensitize or scrape off the emulsion, causing areas of higher or lower OD.
How can processing artifacts be prevented?
Regular processor quality control (QC) and frequent cleaning.
Marks caused by improperly positioned or sprung guide shoes, found on the leading or trailing edge of film.
guide shoe marks
Lines caused by dirt or chemical stains on a roller, occurring at 3.1416 intervals perpendicular to film direction.
PI-LINES
What effect do dirty rollers have on radiographic films?
They can cause emulsion pick-off and gelatin build-up, resulting in sharp areas of increased or reduced OD.
What is chemical fog?
A uniform dull gray appearance caused by improper or inadequate processing chemistry.
A chemical stain on the film, also known as the “curtain effect.”
dichroic stain
Describe the “curtain effect.”
Occurs when processing chemicals are not properly squeezed from the film, leading to uneven distribution.
An artifact in the developer tank that appears as small circular patterns of increased OD due to dirty rollers.
wet-pressure sensitization
What causes bizarre artifacts in digital radiography?
Image processing errors.
What are handling and storage artifacts?
Artifacts caused by improper handling and storage conditions of radiographic film.
How can handling and storage artifacts be prevented?
Proper facility design and appropriate storage conditions.
What can cause fog in radiographic films?
High temperature or humidity, inadequate shielding from radiation, or exposure to safelight.
What causes pressure marks in film?
Improper or rough handling of the film, or stacking it too high in storage.
What can cause streaks of increased OD in radiographs?
Light leaks in the darkroom or the cassette.
Name three static patterns that appear as artifacts.
Crown, tree, and smudge patterns.
What causes static artifacts?
Buildup of electrons in the emulsion due to low temperature or humidity.
What causes yellow-brown stains on radiographic films?
Residual thiosulfate from inadequate washing during processing.
How does light or radiation fog appear on a radiograph?
As streaklike artifacts of increased OD.
What causes kink marks on radiographic films?
Rough handling of the film before processing.
How does hypo retention appear on radiographic films?
As yellow-brown stains due to inadequate washing, resulting in silver sulfide buildup.
Emulsion removed from the film due to dirty rollers, appearing as artifacts on the radiograph.
emulsion pick-off
How can improper patient positioning affect radiographic quality?
It can lead to artifacts like grid cutoff or obscured details.
What artifact is caused by patient jewelry on a radiograph?
Unexpected foreign object artifact due to improper patient preparation.
How does improper squeezing of chemicals affect film appearance?
Can lead to dichroic stains or “curtain effect.”
What is the appearance of a radiograph affected by chemical fog?
It appears uniformly dull and gray.
What effect does oxidized developer have on radiographic film?
Causes yellow-brown drops on the film.
What does a milky appearance on a radiograph indicate?
Underreplenished fixer during processing
What causes a greasy appearance on radiographic film?
Inadequate washing during processing.
What causes brittle film appearance?
Improper dryer temperature or inadequate hardener in the fixer.
Where are Pi lines typically located?
Perpendicular to the film’s direction of movement, caused by roller dirt or stains.
How does stacking film too high affect radiographic quality?
high affect radiographic quality? It causes pressure marks or kink marks.
What is a crown static pattern?
A type of static artifact due to low temperature or humidity.
What causes smudge static?
Low temperature or humidity in the film handling environment
What artifact is caused by leaving film in the x-ray room during exposure?
Radiation fog, increasing OD on the film.
What is hypo retention in radiography?
Yellow-brown staining due to insufficient washing, leading to silver sulfide buildup on the film.
What processing error causes “wet-pressure sensitization”?
Pressure from dirty or irregular rollers in the developer tank.
Why should a film bin be shielded from radiation?
To prevent fogging of stored films.
