Radiologic Eval and Dx Flashcards
List the ABCs of Radiologic Analysis
- Alignment
- Bone Density
- Cartilage spaces
- Soft tissues
What things should be considered with “Alignment”?
- General Skeletal Architecture
- General Contour of Bone
- Alignment of bone to adjacent bone
describe normal and abnormalities to consider with general skeletal architecture
- Normal → size, and number
- Abnormalities
- superumerary bones
- congenital abnormalities
- absence of bone
- developmental deformity
describe normal and abnormalities to consider with general contours of bones
- normal → smooth and continuous
- abnormalities
- cortical frx
- avulsion frx
- impaction frx
- spurring
- prior surgery
describe normal and abnormal alignmenst of bone to adjacent bone
- normal → articulation, spatial relationships
- abnormal
- fracture
- dislocation
- subluxation
what to consider relating to bone density and what is normal for each factor?
- general bone density → sufficient contrast
- textural abnormalities
- normal → expected trabecular architecture
- local density changes
- normal → sclerosis in areas of stress
describe what would be considered abnormal relating to bone densities
- general bone density
- loss of bone density
- thinning/absence cortical margin
- textural abnormalities
- fluffy, thin, delicate, coarsened, smudged
- local density changes
- osteophytes, excessive sclerosis, reactive sclerosis
what should be considered relating to cartilage spaces? Describe normal vs abnormal findings for each
- joint space width
- normal → well-preserved
- abnormal → decreased space
- subchondral bone
- normal → smooth surface
- abnormal → increased sclerosis or erosion
- epiphyseal plate
- normal vs abnormal → look at position, size, borders of physes
ABCs of Radiographic Analysis: Soft Tissues and normal findings
- Muscles
- normal size
- Fat pads and fat lines
- radiolucent crescent parallel to bone
- radiolucent lines parallel to length of muscle
- Joint capsules
- indistinct
- Periosteum
- indistinct or solid reaction w/fracture healing
- Miscellaneous Soft Tissue Findings
- water-density shades of gray
ABCs of Radiographic Analysis: Soft Tissues and abnormal findings
- Muscles
- wasting, swelling
- Fat pads and fat lines
- blurring and displacement
- Joint capsules
- distension
- periosteum
- observe reactions
- Miscellaneous soft tissue findings
- foreign bodies, gas bubbles, radiolucent, calcifications radiopaque
list errors related to the ABCs of Radiographic Analysis
- Errors of observation → related to search patterns (incomplete/faulty)
- Errors of interpretation → related to poor ability to link clinical presentation to radiologic findings
how can errors be reduced?
improved interdisciplinary communication, especially with radiologist
list and describe the categories of skeletal pathology
- Monostotic/Monoarticular → affects only 1 bone/joint
- Polystotic/Polyarticular → affects multiple bones/joints
- Diffuse → affects nearly all bones or joints
List the characteristic findings of osteoporosis
- 30% reduction in bone mass for detection on radiograph
- cortical thinning
- low bone mass
- trabecular changes
- fractures
what is DXA?
Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry
- best precision with lowest radiation dose
- T/L Spine and non-dominant hip analyzed by computer
- T-score: BMD and young matched healthy female compared
- Z-score: BMD and age matched healthy female compared