IMAGE ARTIFACTS Flashcards
(47 cards)
What is an artifact in radiography?
An undesirable optical density or blemish on a radiograph.
How are artifacts classified in radiography?
Processing artifacts, Exposure artifacts, and Handling & Storage artifacts.
What is an exposure artifact?
An artifact associated with the manner in which the radiographer conducts the examination.
How can exposure artifacts be prevented?
Proper patient preparation and instruction.
What is a common cause of double exposure?
Reusing cassettes that have already been exposed.
What causes blur in radiographs?
Improper patient movement, including breathing.
How can grid cutoff artifacts occur?
Improper patient positioning.
What is the importance of patient preparation?
It is essential for producing artifact-free images.
What are processing artifacts?
Artifacts produced during the film processing phase.
How are pressure-type artifacts characterized?
They sensitize or scrape off the emulsion, causing areas of higher or lower OD.
How can processing artifacts be prevented?
Regular processor quality control (QC) and frequent cleaning.
Marks caused by improperly positioned or sprung guide shoes, found on the leading or trailing edge of film.
guide shoe marks
Lines caused by dirt or chemical stains on a roller, occurring at 3.1416 intervals perpendicular to film direction.
PI-LINES
What effect do dirty rollers have on radiographic films?
They can cause emulsion pick-off and gelatin build-up, resulting in sharp areas of increased or reduced OD.
What is chemical fog?
A uniform dull gray appearance caused by improper or inadequate processing chemistry.
A chemical stain on the film, also known as the “curtain effect.”
dichroic stain
Describe the “curtain effect.”
Occurs when processing chemicals are not properly squeezed from the film, leading to uneven distribution.
An artifact in the developer tank that appears as small circular patterns of increased OD due to dirty rollers.
wet-pressure sensitization
What causes bizarre artifacts in digital radiography?
Image processing errors.
What are handling and storage artifacts?
Artifacts caused by improper handling and storage conditions of radiographic film.
How can handling and storage artifacts be prevented?
Proper facility design and appropriate storage conditions.
What can cause fog in radiographic films?
High temperature or humidity, inadequate shielding from radiation, or exposure to safelight.
What causes pressure marks in film?
Improper or rough handling of the film, or stacking it too high in storage.
What can cause streaks of increased OD in radiographs?
Light leaks in the darkroom or the cassette.
