Radiology

Question 1

What imaging study would you order for a skull fracture (depressed)?

Answer 1

CT scan

Question 2

What imaging study would you order for head trauma?

Answer 2

CT without contrast

Question 3

What imaging study would you order for intracranial hemorrhage?

Answer 3

CT without contrast

Question 4

What imaging study would you order for acute stroke?

Answer 4

CT without contrast, confirm with MRI without contrast

Question 5

What imaging study would you order for multiple sclerosis?

Answer 5

MRI with and without contrast

Question 6

What imaging study would you order for a brain tumor?

Answer 6

CT or MRI with contrast

Question 7

What imaging study would you order for pneumonia?

Answer 7

Chest x-ray

Question 8

What imaging study would you order for chest trauma?

Answer 8

Chest x-ray, confirm with CT with contrast

Question 9

What imaging study would you order for a chest mass?

Answer 9

Chest x-ray, confirm with CT with contrast

Question 10

What imaging study would you order for hemoptysis?

Answer 10

Chest x-ray, confirm with bronchoscopy or CT with contrast

Question 11

What imaging study would you order for a pulmonary embolism?

Answer 11

Ventilation/perfusion scan (nuclear scan) or CT with contrast, confirm with pulmonary arteriogram

Question 12

What imaging study would you order for an aortic aneurysm/dissection?

Answer 12

Ultrasound or CT with contrast (preferred if dissection is suspected), confirm with angiogram

Question 13

What imaging study would you order for aortic tear (trauma)?

Answer 13

CT with contrast, confirm with angiogram

Question 14

What imaging study would you order for carotid stenosis?

Answer 14

Duplex ultrasound or MRA, confirm with angiogram

Question 15

What imaging study would you order for an esophageal obstruction?

Answer 15

Barium x-ray or endoscopy, confirm with endoscopy

Question 16

What imaging study would you order for an esophageal tear?

Answer 16

Gastrografin x-ray or endoscopy, confirm with endoscopy

Question 17

What imaging study would you order for bowel perforation?

Answer 17

Abdominal x-ray, confirm with CT scan or laparoscopy

Question 18

What imaging study would you order for hematemesis?

Answer 18

Endoscopy

Question 19

What imaging study would you order for peptic ulcer disease?

Answer 19

Upper GI series or endoscopy, confirm with endoscopy

Question 20

What imaging study would you order for abdominal trauma?

Answer 20

CT with contrast, confirm with laparoscopy

Question 21

What imaging study would you order for an abdominal abscess?

Answer 21

CT with contrast

Question 22

What imaging study would you order for cholelithiasis?

Answer 22

Ultrasound

Question 23

What imaging study would you order for choledocholithiasis?

Answer 23

Ultrasound, confirm with ERCP or MRCP

Question 24

What imaging study would you order for cholecystitis?

Answer 24

Ultrasound, confirm with nuclear hepatobiliary study (HIDA scan)

Question 25

What imaging study would you order for an intestinal obstruction?

Answer 25

Abdominal x-ray, confirm with CT with contrast

Question 26

What imaging study would you order for appendicitis?

Answer 26

CT with contrast or appendiceal CT with rectal contrast or US

Question 27

What imaging study would you order for nephrolithiasis?

Answer 27

CT without contrast (test of choice) or abdominal x-ray or intravenous pyelogram (IVP)

Question 28

What imaging study would you order for an ovarian pathology?

Answer 28

Ultrasound

Question 29

What imaging study would you order for diverticulitis?

Answer 29

CT with contrast, NO endoscopy or barium enema acutely

Question 30

What imaging study would you order for upper GI bleeding?

Answer 30

Upper GI series or endoscopy, confirm with endoscopy

Question 31

What imaging study would you order for lower GI bleeding?

Answer 31

Barium enema or endoscopy, confirm with endoscopy

Question 32

What imaging study would you order for unknown GI bleeding?

Answer 32

Nuclear medicine bleeding study, for brisk bleed angiography or laparotomy

Question 33

What imaging study would you order for hydronephrosis?

Answer 33

Ultrasound or CT

Question 34

What imaging study would you order for hematuria (persistent)?

Answer 34

CT with contrast, confirm with cytoscopy or CT with contrast

Question 35

What imaging study would you order for fibroid uterus?

Answer 35

Ultrasound, confirm with MRI

Question 36

What imaging study would you order for a pelvic mass (female)?

Answer 36

Ultrasound, confirm with CT with contrast or laparoscopy

Question 37

What imaging study would you order for bone metastases?

Answer 37

Bone scan, plain x-rays for multiple myeloma

Question 38

What imaging study would you order for pregnancy evaluation?

Answer 38

Ultrasound (transvaginal detects sooner than transabdominal), first get beta-HCG

Question 39

What imaging study would you order for a fracture?

Answer 39

X-ray, CT scan without contrast can help evaluate complex fractures

Question 40

What imaging study would you order for osteomyelitis?

Answer 40

X-ray, confirm with bone scan and/or MRI with contrast

Question 41

What imaging study would you order for arthritis?

Answer 41

X-ray, confirm with MRI

Question 42

What imaging study would you order for pyloric stenosis?

Answer 42

Ultrasound, upper GI series is second choice

Question 43

What imaging study would you order for Meckel diverticulum?

Answer 43

Meckel scan (nuclear medicine)

Question 44

With suspected GI perforation, why do you not want to use barium?

Answer 44

It can cause a chemical peritonitis, use water-soluble contrast (e.g. gastrografin)