Level 1-Semester 2
Module (Principles of Interprofessional Communication &
Clinical Exposure )
Level 1- Semester 1- Module 1A
Lecture Outline
• Basic Radiological Investigations
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lecture, the students will be able to:
1- Identify the basic radiological tests
Introduction to Radiological Tests
Medical Imaging (Radiology)
• Nearly all medical disciplines utilize medical imaging
• As you move from block to block, we will learn:
• How each modality works to create an image of internal body structures
• Selecting the best imaging tests for a given clinical presentation
• Develop a stepwise repeatable pattern of evaluating medical images
A variety of imaging techniques such as
• X ray radiography
• Ultrasound
• Computed Tomography (CT)
• Nuclear medicine including Positron Emission
Tomography (PET), fluoroscopy
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
They are used to diagnose or treat diseases.
Interventional radiology is the performance of usually minimally
invasive medical procedures with the guidance of imaging
technologies such as those mentioned above.
X- Ray
How do x-rays passing through the body
create an image?
• X-rays that pass through the body render the image dark (black)
• X-rays that are totally blocked render the image light (white)
• Air = low atomic # = x-rays get through = image is dark (black)
• Metal = high atomic # = x-rays blocked = image is light (white)
How do X-ray make an
Image
• 1. Air/gas: Black
(air in the lungs, stomach or
bowel)
• 2. Fat: Dark grey
(subcutaneous fat, peritoneal
fat)
• 3. Soft tissues/fluid: Light
grey (solid organs e.g.
liver/spleen/kidneys, muscle,
bowel wall, blood, fluid-filled
organs e.g.
gallbladder/urinary bladder)
• 4. Bone: Off-white
• 5. Contrast material/ metals:
Bright white (surgical clips,
5 Basic Radiographic 1.
Densities
• Air 4.
• Fat
• Soft tissue/fluid
• Mineral
2. 5.
• Metal
3.
Name these radiographic densities.
Medical Imaging Interpretation
3 basic steps
• First learn how each modality creates an image of internal body
structures
• Next, be able to accurately label normal anatomy (body structures)
• Then, search for structures that don’t belong and for body structures
that are abnormal in size, shape, position and/or density
Types of X ray
• Abdominal x-ray
• Barium x-ray
• Bone x-ray
• Chest x-ray
• Dental x-ray
• Extremity x-ray
• Hand x-ray
• Joint x-ray
• Lumbosacral spine x-ray
• Neck x-ray
• Pelvis x-ray
• Sinus x-ray
• Skull x-ray
• Thoracic spine x-ray
• X-ray of the skeleton
Abdominal viscera
• 1. Right kidney (red)
• 2. Left kidney (red)
• 3. Location of right ureter
(white outline) – not normally
visualised
• 4. Location of left ureter
(white outline) – not normally
visualised
• 5. Urinary bladder (orange)
• 6. Gas in the rectum (green)
• 7. Location of right adrenal
gland (white outline) – not
normally visualised
• 8. Location of left adrenal
gland (white outline) – not
normally visualised
• 9. Location of the
gallbladder (white outline) –
Skeletal structures
1. Left 12th rib (light green)
2. Psoas outline – left and
right (red)
3. Vertebral body of L3
(light blue)
4. Pedicles of L1 vertebra
(orange)
5. Right transverse
processes of L1–L5 (black)
6. Spinous process of L4
(brown)
7. Sacrum (blue)
8. Coccyx (rose)
9. Right hemi‐pelvis (yellow)
10. Right sacroiliac joint
Pelvis
1. Ilium (green)
2. Pubis (red)
3. Ischium (yellow)
4. Obturator foramen
(purple)
5. Location of right
inguinal ligament (blue) –
not normally visualised. The
inguinal ligament runs
between the anterior
superior iliac spine and
pubic
tubercle
6. Shenton’s line (black
outline) – imaginary line
skull x ray Shoulder x ray
Normal CXR
A Ah! 10 second review
A Adequacy (and accuracy)
A Alignment
A Apparatus
B Bones
C Cartilages and joints
S Soft tissues
Fracture-dislocation of the right
ankle
Hand x ray foot x ray
chest x ray abdominal x ray
knee x ray elbow x ray
Lumber spine x ray Cervical spine x ray
Fluoroscopy
• Radiocontrast agents are usually administered by swallowing or
injecting into the body of the patient to delineate anatomy and
functioning of the blood vessels, the genitourinary system, or
the gastrointestinal tract then multiple x ray images are token
• E.g Barium Enema and barium Swallow.
Barium enema Barium Swallow
Computed tomography
• CT imaging uses X-rays in conjunction with computing algorithms to
image the body.
• Spiral multidetector CT uses 16, 64, 254 or more detectors during
continuous motion of the patient through the radiation beam to
obtain fine detail images in a short exam time.
CT brain
CT Chest
CT Abdomen
Ultrasound
• Medical
ultrasonography uses
ultrasound (high-
frequency sound waves)
to visualize soft tissue
structures in the body in
real time. No ionizing
radiation is involved
Magnetic resonance imaging
MRI
• MRI uses strong magnetic fields to align atomic nuclei (usually
hydrogen protons) within body tissues, then uses a radio signal to
disturb the axis of rotation of these nuclei and observes the radio
frequency signal generated as the nuclei return to their baseline
states.
• MRI scans give the best soft tissue contrast of all the imaging
modalities
Thank You
