Radiology Quiz 1 Flashcards
What is radiology?
Branch of medicine concerned with radiant energy and radioactive substances including x rays, ionizing radiation, radioactive isotopes and the application to prevent, diagnose, and treat.
What is another term for medical/diagnostic imaging?
Radiology is also referred to as medical/diagnostic imaging.
What modalities are included in radiology?
Ultrasound, MRI, and PET scan.
What is musculoskeletal imaging?
A subspecialty of radiology concerned with the diagnostic evaluation of the musculoskeletal system.
What tissues can musculoskeletal imaging image?
All tissues, not only bone.
What was musculoskeletal imaging previously known as?
Orthopedic radiology.
What does ALARA stand for?
As low as reasonably achievable.
What is a radiograph?
An x-ray film containing an image of an anatomic part of a patient.
What are the requirements for a radiograph?
- X ray beam source 2. A patient 3. X ray film or other image receptor.
What are the three classes of image receptors?
Film radiograph, fluoroscopic imaging, computed.
What is radiation?
The energy transmitted through space or matter, differing from mechanical, electrical, thermal, nuclear, and electromagnetic.
What is an x-ray?
A form of ionizing electromagnetic radiation similar to visible light but shorter in wavelength.
What determines the shade of gray that represents anatomy in x rays?
The molecular interaction of x rays.
What is radiodensity?
Combination of physical qualities of an object that determine how much radiation is absorbed from the x ray beam.
What does radiolucent mean?
Transparent to x rays.
What does radiopaque mean?
Opaque to x rays.
What does radiodense mean?
X rays will not pass through.
What is radiodensity determined by?
Composition and thickness.
What affects the thickness and silhouette of a tissue on a radiograph?
Angles of projection.
What is the thinnest curved plane parallel to the image receptor?
Curved plane parallel to image receptor.
What is the thickest curved plane perpendicular to the image receptor?
Curved plane perpendicular to image receptor.
What is a reminder regarding imaging tests?
Not always the most expensive test gives you the best answer.
What does ‘one view is no view’ mean?
Critical diagnostic information is missing if only 1 radiograph is available.
What is the upright position?
Seated or standing.
What is the seated position?
Sitting up still upright.
What is the supine position?
Laying on back.
What is the prone position?
Laying on stomach.
What is the erect/weight bearing position used for?
Used to clearly establish that the joints are under effects of gravity.
What is the recumbent position?
Lying down in any position.
What is the Trendelenburg position?
Lying on back with body tilted so that the head is lower than the feet.
What are the two markers on each film?
Patient identification and anatomic side markers.
What is the anatomical position?
Do not reorient films, always view as if in anatomical position.
What are the four image quality factors?
Density, contrast, detail, and distortion.
What does density refer to in imaging?
The amount of blackening in the image, controlled by adjusting current and exposure time.
What is detail in imaging?
Also referred to as sharpness, resolution, and definition.
What is contrast in imaging?
The difference between adjacent densities.
What is distortion in imaging?
The difference between the actual object and the recorded image.
What type of contrast is used in skeletal radiographs?
High contrast.
What type of contrast is used to image the heart and lungs?
Low contrast.
What are the categories of imaging?
Conventional radiography and advanced modalities.
What is fluoroscopy?
Dynamic/continuous radiographs that provide real-time imaging that can be archived.
What does CR stand for?
Contrast enhanced radiographs.
What is musculoskeletal CR?
Arthrograms (joints) and myelograms (spine).
What is arthrography?
Contrast media study of a joint and its soft tissue structures.
What is myelography?
Contrast media study of the spinal cord, dura mater, and nerve roots.
What is nuclear imaging?
Specialty that uses radio pharmaceutical (tracer) = radionuclide (emits gamma rays) + pharmaceutical (targeted specific organ).
What does windowing refer to in imaging?
The range of radio densities displayed in an image.
What does T1 imaging measure?
Measures tissues that give up energy and displays all tissues well.
What does T2 imaging measure?
Measures energy not ready releasing energy.
What are errors of observation?
Faulty or incomplete search patterns.
What are errors of interpretation?
Failure to link radiologic signs to clinic data.
What does the A in ABCS search pattern stand for?
Alignment.
What does the B in ABCS search pattern stand for?
Bone density.
What does the C in ABCS search pattern stand for?
Cartilage space.
What does the S in ABCS search pattern stand for?
Soft tissues.
What does the alignment search pattern involve?
Looking at general skeletal architecture, general contour of bone, alignment of bones to adjacent bones.
What does the bone density search pattern involve?
Looking at general bone density, texture abnormalities, localized density changes.
What does the cartilage space search pattern involve?
Looking at joint width space, subchondral bone, and epiphyseal plates.
What does the soft tissue search patterns involve?
Looking at muscles, fat pads and lines, joint capsules, periosteum, miscellaneous soft tissue findings.
