how to read a radiograph

Question 1

key points to reading a radiograph

Answer 1

• Type of radiograph
• Bone and side
• Name patient
• Age of patient
• Date the radiograph was taken
• Displaced or undisplaced
• Part of the bone proximal, distal, mid-shaft (physis)
• (comminuted, translocate, angulated, rotated, impact/bayonetting)
• Extra or intra-articular fracture
• Complete or incomplete
• Other- soft tissue injury, NV status

Question 2

types of displaced fractures

Answer 2

translated
angulated
rotated
shortened
-impaction
-bayonetting 
incomplete 
-greenstick fracture
-buckle fracture

Question 3

radiological features of osteoporosis

Answer 3

Deterioration of microarchitecture of bone tissue with increase in bone fragility
Thin cortices are thin with reduced medullary trabeculae ie bone normal but little of it

Question 4

radiological features of osteomalacia

Answer 4

Reduced mineralisation of osteoid

• blurred trabeculae
• symmetrical transverse or oblique cortical defects appear- Looser’s zone
• rickets- at physis in children

Question 5

radiological features of hyperparathyroidism

Answer 5

• bone resporption

- cortical striations