Radiology Flashcards by Ashley Rademacher

what are the steps of x-ray production?

push exposure button
electrons are produced at the CATHode
accelerated across to the ANode
strike the ANode = heat + xray energy
x-rays exit via window through aluminum disks that remove long wavelength x-rays
size is restricted by lead collimator
travels down the PID

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overall darkness or blackness of a film

density

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how sharply dark and light areas are separated

contrast

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describe a short scale of contrast

mostly black and whites (high contrast)
lower kVp
good for detecting decay

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describe a long scale of contrast

many shades of gray (low visual contrast)
higher kVp
good for determining bone density

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variation in the true size/shape of the object being radiographed

distortion

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what factors result in an elongated image?

teeth appear longer
not enough vertical angulation (too flat)

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what factors result in a foreshortened image?

teeth appear shorter
too much vertical angulation (too steep)

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image appears larger than the actual size of the object it represents

magnification

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how can a clinician decrease image magnification

decrease object-film distance
increase target-film distance

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how does a ghost image appear on a panoramic x-ray?

radiopaque artifact seen
produced when a radiodense object is penetrated 2x by the x-ray beam

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what happens if the tongue is not against the palate in a panoramic x-ray?

a dark shadow obscures the apices of the maxillary teeth

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what happens if the Frankfort plane is positioned to high or low on a panoramic radiograph?

too high: the chin is positioned too high and there is a reverse smile line with the maxillary incisors blurred
too low: the chin is positioned too low and there is an exaggerated smile with mandibular incisors blurred - condyles may not be visible

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how does a panoramic x-ray appear when the teeth are positioned too far anterior or posterior?

anterior: anterior teeth appear skinny and out of focus
posterior: anterior teeth appear fat and out of focus

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what happens in a panoramic x-ray when the midsagittal plane is not centered?

the teeth are unequally magnified - if the patient is turned to the right, the left teeth are magnified

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dense outer layer of bone that appears radiopaque

cortical (compact) bone

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sponge-like appearance to the inner bone that is composed of trabeculae that form a lattice-like network of intercommunicating spaces filled with bone marrow

cancellous bone

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will prominences (processes, ridges, spines, tubercles, or tuberosities) appear radiolucent or radiopaque?

radiopaque

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will depressions (canals, foramina, fossa, or sinuses) appear radiolucent or radiopaque?

radiolucent

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small, ovoid/round radiolucent area between roots of maxillary centrals

incisive (nasopalatine) foramen

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thin radiolucent line between maxillary central incisors

median palatal suture

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the radiolucent area between maxillary canine and lateral incisors

canine (lateral) fossa

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large radiolucent area above the maxillary incisors

nasal cavity (fossa)

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the vertical radiopaque partition that divides the nasal cavity

nasal septum

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dense radiopaque band of bone above maxillary incisors

floor of the nasal cavity

v-shaped radiopaque area located at the intersection of the floor of the nasal cavity and the nasal septum

anterior nasal spine

diffuse radiopaque projection within the nasal cavity

inferior nasal conchae

the radiolucent area above the apices of the maxillary premolars/molars OR septa within the maxillary sinus

maxillary sinus and floor of the maxillary sinus

intersection of maxillary sinus and nasal cavity

inverted "Y"

radiopaque bulge distal to the 3rd molar region

maxillary tuberosity

radiopaque hook-like projection posterior to the maxillary tuberosity

hamulus (hamular process)

J or U shaped radiopacity superior to the maxillary 1st molar region

zygomatic process of maxilla

diffuse, radiopaque band extending posterior from the zygomatic process of the maxilla

zygoma

ring-shaped radiopacity below the mandibular anteriors

genial tubercles

vertical radiolucent lines

nutrient canals

thick radiopaque band that extends from premolar to incisor region

mental ridge

radiolucent area above the mental ridge

mental fossa

small ovoid or round radiolucency located in the apical premolar region

mental foramen

dense, radiopaque band extending down and forward of the molar region

mylohyoid ridge

radiolucent band surrounded by radiopaque border inferior in molar teeth

mandibular canal

radiopaque band extending down and forward from the ramus

internal oblique ridge (line)

radiopaque band extending down and forward from the ramus superior to the internal oblique ridge

external oblique ridge

radiolucent area in the molar region below the mylohyoid ridge

submandibular fossa

triangular radiopacity superimposed or inferior to the maxillary tuberosity

coronoid process

radiopacity posterior and inferior to the TMJ area

mastoid process (of temporal bone)

radiopaque spine anterior to the mastoid process

styloid process

opening in the temporal bone superior and anterior the the mastoid

external auditory meatus

radiopacity superior to the mandibular condyle

glenoid (mandibular) fossa

rounded radiopaque bone anterior to the glenoid fossa

articular eminence (tubercle)

radiopaque, bony projection distal to maxillary tuberosity region

lateral pterygoid plate

radiolucent area between the lateral pterygoid plate and maxilla

pterygomaxillary fissure

radiopaque bulge distal to the third molar

maxillary tuberosity

radiolucency inferior to the orbit

infraorbital foramen

radiolucent compartment with radiopaque borders superior to the maxillary sinuses

orbit

radiolucency between the root of the maxillary central incisors

incisive canal and foramen

v-shaped radiopacity at the intersection of the nasal floor and nasal septum

anterior nasal spine

radiolucent area above the maxillary incisors

nasal cavity

vertical radiopaque partition that divides the nasal cavity

nasal septum

horizontal radiopaque band superior to the apices of the maxillary teeth

hard palate

paired radiolucencies above the maxillary premolars and molars

maxillary sinus

J or U-shaped radiopacity superior to the maxillary 1st molar region

zygomatic process of the maxilla

radiopaque band extending posteriorly from the zygomatic process

zygoma

radiopaque hook-like projection posterior to the maxillary tuberosity area

hamulus

rounded radiopaque projection extending from the posterior border of the ramus

mandibular condyle

radiopaque concavity distal to the coronoid process

coronoid notch

triangular radiopacity posterior to the maxillary tuberosity

coronoid process

round or ovoid radiolucency centered within the ramus

mandibular foramen

radiopacity anterior to the mandibular foramen

lingula

radiolucent band outlined by the radiopaque lines

mandibular canal

ovoid or round radiolucency apical to the premolar region

mental foramen

horseshoe-shaped bone in the neck

hyoid bone

radiopaque band from the premolar to the incisor regions

mental ridge

radiolucent area above the mental ridge

mental fossa

ring-shaped radiopacity anterior ro the mandible

genial tubercles

the radiopaque band that outlines the lower border of the mandible

inferior border of the mandible

radiopaque band that extends down and forward from the molar region

mylohyoid ridge

radiopaque band that extends down and forward from the ramus

internal oblique ridge

superior to internal oblique ridge

external oblique ridge

radiopaque bony structure where ramus joins the body of the mandible

angle of the mandible

radiolucent band above the apices of the maxillary teeth

palatoglossal air space

radiolucency superior to the radiopaque shadow of the soft palate and the uvula

nasopharyngeal air space

vertical radiolucent band that is superimposed over the ramus

glossopharyngeal air space