MSK radiology Flashcards
Name 4 harms of radiology
1) Ionising radiation
2) Incidental findings
3) Magnets can heat and move things
4) Certain dyes can be nephrotoxic
What is the attenuation of an X-ray?
How an X-ray passes through the body to reach the receptor; does it lose energy or change course?
On an X-ray, what is low attenuation seen as?
Dark (i.e air)
On an X-ray, what is high attenuation seen as?
Light (i.e bone)
What does the attenuation coefficient show?
The extent of how an X-ray will interact with certain tissues
What are some benefits of X-rays?
Fast, easy and cheap
What are some downsides to X-rays?
1) 2D image
2) Soft tissue almost impossible to see
3) Ionising radiation
What is line pair resolution?
The spatial resolution of being able to distinguish structures
What is contrast resolution?
Ability to distinguish tissue type based on contrast to the surrounding
Which type of resolution does X-ray score highly in?
Line pair resolution
When taking an X-ray what are the two positions that are normally used for the images?
Orthogonal images
Does a CT scan have a high or low contrast resolution?
High
Does a CT scan have a high or low spatial resolution?
Low (relatively)
With the help of a dye, can a CT identify vascular injury?
yes
What is volume-rendered anatomy?
Nice 3D images used to help prepare surgery
