X-rays Flashcards
What colour does bone appear on an X-ray?
White
What colour does soft tissue appear on an X-ray?
Light grey
What colour does fat appear on an X-ray?
Dark grey
What colour does air appear on an X-ray?
Black
The lighter the colour, the more … the tissue.
Dense
The lighter the colour, the more dense the tissue.
What would an joint afflicted with osteoarthritis look like on an X-ray?
No different in early stages
Later on: think LOSS
L - loss of joint space
O - osteophytes
S - subarticular sclerosis
S - subchondral cysts
What are osteophytes?
Bony projections/growths
What does sclerotic bone look like on an X-ray?
More white since it’s more dense
Where is ‘subchondral’?
Under cartilage
What would an joint afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis look like on an X-ray?
Soft tissue swelling
Osteopenia of bone near affected joins
Decreased joint space
Bony erosions
Joint deformity: Swan Neck, Boutonniere
What is Swan Neck deformity?
Distal interphalangeal joint hyperflexion
Proximal interphalangeal joint hyperextension
What is Boutonniere deformity?
Distal interphalangeal joint hyperextension
Metacarpophalangeal joint hyperextension
Proximal interphalangeal joint hyperflexion
What would a spine afflicted with Ankylosing Spondylitis look like on X-ray?
Syndesmophytes (like stalactites and stalagmites) at the edges of each vertebrae
In time these fuse, looks like a bamboo shoot
Bamboo spine
What would a joint afflicted with psoriatic arthritis look like on X-ray?
Erosive changes
Pencil in cup deformity
Periostitis
Loss of bone architecture
What is pencil in cup deformity?
In hands:
Bone is effectively ‘sharpened’, tip is narrowed
Looks like a pencil in a cup
What would a joint afflicted with reactive arthritis look like on X-ray?
Enthesitis
Reaction of the periosteum
What would a joint afflicted with gout look like on X-ray?
Large areas of erosion
Punched out lesions
Sclerotic overhanging edges
Joint spaces are usually preserved
What would a joint afflicted with septic arthritis look like on X-ray?
Normal in early stages
Effusion can be seen
Narrowing of joint space
Juxta-articular sclerosis
What do osteoporotic bones look like on X-ray?
Not a lot different until about 50% bone density is lost
Will appear darker
What does an aggressive bone tumour look like on X-ray?
Permeated
Moth-eaten
What does osteomyelitis look like on X-ray?
Permeated
Moth-eaten
What is pepper-pot skull?
Black holes seen on an X-ray of the skull
A sign of multiple myeloma
What is scalloping of a bone likely to be caused by?
Multiple myeloma
What is likely to be the cause of a bone that looks permeated and moth-eaten?
Infection (osteomyelitis)
An aggressive bone tumour
If you see a lesion on a bone that you are able to draw an outline round, is it likely to be benign or malignant?
Benign
Or non-aggressive malignant
If you see a lesion on a bone that is ill-defined, is it likely to be benign or malignant?
Malignancy
Or infection
If you see on an x-ray a bone that looks bent, what fracture is it likely to be?
What type of patient is it?
Plastic deformation
A child
What does a buckle (torus) fracture look like on an X-ray?
Outward protrusion at the joining of the metaphysis and diaphysis
You see an X-ray of a bone with outward protrusion at the joining of the metaphysis and diaphysis. What fracture is it?
A buckle or torus fracture
