Articles
Articles are a collaborative effort to provide a single canonical page on all topics relevant to the practice of radiology. As such, articles are written and continuously improved upon by countless contributing members. Our dedicated editors oversee each edit for accuracy and style. Find out more about articles.
29 results found
Article
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax, commonly abbreviated to PTX, (plural: pneumothoraces) refers to the presence of gas (often air) in the pleural space. When this collection of gas constantly enlarges with resulting compression of mediastinal structures, it can be life-threatening and is known as a tension pneumotho...
Article
CT cystography
CT cystography is a variation of the traditional fluoroscopic cystogram. Instead of anterograde opacification of the urinary collecting system (as with CT urography), contrast is instilled retrograde into the patient's bladder, and then the pelvis is imaged with CT.
Indications
suspected bladd...
Article
Rule of Spence
The Rule of Spence is a radiologic method to evaluate the likelihood of injury to the transverse atlantal ligament (TAL) on an open mouth AP (“peg”) radiograph. As originally framed, if the combined projection of the lateral masses of the atlas is more than 6.9 mm beyond the lateral masses of th...
Article
Traumatic abdominal wall hernia
Traumatic abdominal wall hernia describes the traumatic disruption of musculature and fascia of anterior abdominal wall without skin penetration.
Clinical presentation
Abdominal skin ecchymosis or abrasions may be seen.
Pathology
Traumatic abdominal wall hernia is caused by blunt trauma to t...
Article
Physiological pelvic intraperitoneal fluid
Physiological pelvic intraperitoneal fluid refers to the presence of a small volume of free fluid in the pelvis, particularly the pouch of Douglas. It occurs in young females of reproductive age and can be a mimic of traumatic free fluid in abdominal trauma.
Unfortunately, pelvic free fluid may...
Article
Gilula three carpal arcs
Gilula three carpal arcs are used in the assessment of the normal alignment of the carpus on PA wrist radiographs:
first arc: is a smooth curve outlining the proximal convexities of the scaphoid, lunate and triquetrum
second arc: traces the distal concave surfaces of the same bones
third arc:...
Article
Gunshot injuries
Gunshot injuries are a type of penetrating trauma that often require imaging assessment, and this evaluation has both clinical relevance (assessment of organ damage, surgical planning, and prognostication), and often also forensic implications.
Epidemiology
Incidence of gunshot injuries to the...
Article
Denver criteria for blunt cerebrovascular injury
The Denver criteria are a set of screening criteria used to determine when CT angiography of the neck is indicated to detect blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) in patients presenting after trauma.
Screening criteria
The Denver criteria were initially developed in 1996 1, modified in 2005 to ...
Article
McGrigor-Campbell lines
McGrigor-Campbell lines are imaginary lines traced across the face on an occipitomental (Waters) view skull radiograph to assess for fractures of the middle third (especially) of the face 3:
first line is traced from one zygomaticofrontal suture to another, across the superior edge of the orbit...
Article
Joint effusion
A joint effusion is defined as an increased amount of fluid within the synovial compartment of a joint.
There is normally only a small amount of physiological intra-articular fluid. Abnormal fluid accumulation can result from inflammation, infection (i.e. pus) or trauma and might be exudate, tr...
Article
Describing a fracture (an approach)
Describing a fracture is a basic requirement when making an assessment of a plain radiograph. There are many ways to approach the assessment of the radiograph; this is just one approach.
1. Projections and clinical history
What radiograph (or radiographs) are you looking at? Check the who, wha...
Article
Atlantodental interval
The atlantodental interval is used in the diagnosis of atlanto-occipital dissociation injuries and injuries of the atlas and axis.
Measurement
The anterior atlantodental interval is the horizontal distance between the posterior cortex of the anterior arch of the atlas (C1) and the anterior cor...
Article
Stieda fracture
Stieda fractures refer to a bony avulsion injury of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) at the medial femoral condyle. When it fails to unite, it is known as a Pellegrini Stieda lesion.
It should not be confused with a Stieda process fracture of the talus.
Clinical presentation
Avulsion of t...
Article
Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) scan
Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) scan is a point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examination performed at the time of presentation of a trauma patient.
It is invariably performed by a clinician, who should be formally trained, and is considered as an 'extension' of the trauma cl...
Article
Point-of-care ultrasound (curriculum)
The point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) curriculum is one of our curriculum articles and aims to be a collection of articles that represent the core applications of ultrasonography in a point-of-care setting.
Point-of-care ultrasound refers to ultrasonography which may be simultaneously performed,...
Article
Aortic pseudoaneurysm vs ductus diverticulum
Differentiation of aortic pseudoaneurysm from ductus diverticulum is critical, particularly in the trauma setting. A traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysm is a surgical emergency whereas a ductus diverticulum is a normal anatomic variant.
The following are differentiating features:
Aortic pseudoaneu...
Article
CT ankle (protocol)
The CT ankle protocol serves as an examination for the bony assessment of the ankle and rearfoot and is almost always performed as a non-contrast study. It can be also combined with a CT arthrogram for the evaluation of chondral and osteochondral injuries or can encompass the whole foot in certa...
Article
CT polytrauma (approach)
Below is an approach used for the "primary survey" of a CT polytrauma/multitrauma (also called trauma CT or whole body CT), often performed at the CT console with the patient still on the CT table. It allows rapid communication of significant findings to the trauma team as well as the decision ...
Article
Clothing artifact
Clothing artifacts, like jewelry artifacts, are a regular feature on imaging examinations, especially plain radiographs, but in general are recognized for what they are, either at the time the image is taken by the radiographer, or later by the reporting radiologist. The radiographer will often ...
Article
Osteoporotic vs pathological vertebral fractures
Discriminating between acute osteoporotic and pathological vertebral fractures is sometimes challenging. This may be especially true in the elderly population, in which both osteoporosis and malignant disease often co-occur, and vertebral fractures of both kinds are common and indeed may coexist...
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.