Intro To Radiology

Question 1

What color are dense objects?

Answer 1

White, radio-opaque

Question 2

What color are non-dense objects?

Answer 2

Black (transparent), radio-lucent

Question 3

What are the structures on gray scale?

Answer 3

Air, fat, blood, muscle, bone, lead
Black White

Question 4

What are dx imaging used for?

Answer 4

-localize an anatomic problem
-to ID the tissue involved
-to ID the nature of the tissue damage
-direct treatment

Question 5

Types of imaging

Answer 5

X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear imaging

Question 6

What is x-ray?

Answer 6

Form of electromagnetic radiation

Question 7

What is the primary value of routine radiography?

Answer 7

Documenting bony defects

Question 8

How many and what type of views are used for dx radiology for musculoskeletal pathology?

Answer 8

-Minimum of two views perpendicular to each other
-Additional oblique views often considered

Question 9

X-ray advantages and disadvantages

Answer 9

Advantages: quick, inexpensive, ideal for bony changes

Disadvantages: doesn’t show soft tissue changes, radiation exposure

Question 10

What does CT scan stand for?

Answer 10

Computerized (axial) tomography

Question 11

What is a CT scan?

Answer 11

Moving x-ray; provides detailed planar images by progressive visual

Question 12

Advantages of CT

Answer 12

-cross sectional images
-can enhance w/ contrast
-better sensitivity than x-ray
-ok w/ metal
-fast

Question 13

Disadvantages of CT

Answer 13

-high radiation exposure
-less sensitive than MRI

Question 14

What does MRI stand for?

Answer 14

Magnetic resonance imaging

Question 15

What is MRI used for?

Answer 15

No radiation involved and ideal for soft tissue contrasts

Question 16

What does a MRI do and how does it work?

Answer 16

-powerful magnetic field to pt
-detects rate of magnetization and demagnetization
-produces “slice” images in any plane

Question 17

Advantages of MRI

Answer 17

-grey scale doesn’t apply, any structure can be highlighted
-no radiation exposure involved
-high sensitivity to slight tissue differences
-can image in several planes
-can image through bone

Question 18

Disadvantages of MRI

Answer 18

-cost
-time lying still
-limited tube size
-can’t use metal
-can be too sensitive/not specific
-not good for bone/calcified tissue

Question 19

What is ultrasound? What does it produce?

Answer 19

-picks up and examines timing and amplitude of reflections for echo examines frequency change for doppler
-produces a 2D image in real time

Question 20

Advantages of ultrasound?

Answer 20

-biologically harmless
-records and displays motion
-requires no contrast
-portable
-distinguishes solid from fluid

Question 21

Disadvantages of ultrasound

Answer 21

-does not penetrate bone well
-doesn’t go through air/gas
-skill dependent

Question 22

What does ultrasound image well?

Answer 22

Fetus, children, abdominal organs, aorta, blood flow

Question 23

What is another name for bone scan?

Answer 23

Skeletal scintigraphy

Question 24

What is a bone scan used for?

Answer 24

-help dx problems w/ bones
-tool of nuclear medicine

Question 25

Bone scan used dx-ly in suspicion of

Answer 25

-metastatic disease
-arthritis
-stress fracture
-osteomyelitis
-loosening of implants
-multiple trauma

Question 26

How does a bone scan work?

Answer 26

-pt given radioisotope into veins
-takes 2-4 hrs for radioactive substance to gravitate to areas of bone damage
-dark spots = damage

Question 27

What is nuclear imaging?

Answer 27

Non-invasive procedure that uses injected radioactive material and PET scanner, CT scan or MRI

Question 28

What does nuclear imaging image well?

Answer 28

-thyroid masses**
-bone metastases**
-lung circulation and ventilation**
-cancer, GI disease, endocrine disease

Question 29

What to look for in review of medical record and work ups to date

Answer 29

-types of tests done
-normal study or abnormalities reported (structure, location, severity)
-decision making “do reported findings correlate w/ clinical s/s?”