VTNE Diagnostic Imaging.

Which of the following people is not allowed to restrain a patient for a radiograph?

17-year old male veterinary assistant that is working at the clinic for the summer.

Your radiograph technique chart indicates that you should use a kVp setting of 50 and mAs setting of 12.5. Which of the following would be appropriate?

250 mA, 1/20 sec. mAs is a measure of the total exposure. It is the product of mA and time in seconds. Of the choices here, only 250 mA and 1/20 sec yields a product of 12.5 mAs. Generally, it is also best to maximize the mA and minimize exposure time to decrease motion artifacts.

How many days after fertilization will canine fetal skeletons first appear on a radiograph?

42 days.

For a veterinary X-ray technician, what is the maximum permissible dose of radiation they can receive in one year?

50 mSv.

When taking a lateral thoracic radiograph of a dog, where should the field be centered?

5th rib and caudal border of the scapula.

When taking a radiograph of an equine limb, you take a radiograph where the portable X-ray unit source is 90 cm away from the cassette. You then move closer so that the X-ray source is now 30 cm away from the cassette. If no changes were made to the settings of the machine, what will the beam intensity be at the second radiograph relative to the first one?

9 times greater intensity at 30 cm compared to 90 cm.

What is a pneumocystogram?

A radiograph of the bladder taken after having had air injected into it.

You are training a radiology technician on methods of restraining patients using sandbags and positioning devices that will allow her to step out of the radiology suite during the radiograph exposure. The radiology technician asks you why this is necessary, since she always wears her dosimetry badge and has always been well below the established exposure limits. What important principle of radiation safety dictates that further efforts such as these should still be made to decrease radiation exposure to the radiology technician?

ALARA. "As low as reasonably achievable".

MRI-compatible equipment might be made of which of the following metals?

Aluminum.

Barium for an upper GI radiograph series should not be given to a patient with which of the following?

Aspiration pneumonia.

Which of the following correctly indicates where electrons are generated in an x-ray machine?

At the filament of the cathode.

In order to prevent distortion on a dental radiograph when parallel technique cannot be used (impossible to position the film parallel to the long axis of the tooth), which of the following will prevent image distortion (elongation or foreshortening)?

Bisecting angle technique.

Which of following typically appear hyperechoic (bright white) on ultrasound imaging?

Bone and gas.

What tissue is the MOST sensitive to radiation therapy?

Bone marrow.

What are the components of a typical X-ray cassette in order from front (where X-rays enter) to back?

Cassette front, padding, intensifying screen, film, intensifying screen, padding, cassette back.

In what anatomical location can the atlas and axis be found?

Cervical region.

Which of the following are intended to shield the user from the primary X-ray beam?

Collimator.

You are asked to take a dorsomedial-palmarolateral oblique radiograph of a horse's fetlock with a portable x-ray unit. A cross-section of the limb is diagrammed and labeled below with the red lines representing two possible x-ray cassette placement locations. Pick the letter that corresponds to the correct cassette placement and the correct placement of the marker on the cassette.

D.

The current accepted standard image format for digital radiographs is called DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine). DICOM files have many advantages over other types of image files. Which of the following is NOT true of DICOM images?

DICOM image files can be sent to other veterinarians or to owners and can be viewed in almost any photo viewer.

You are asked to take chest radiographs on a cat that has been hit by a car. You are reviewing the radiographs for technique and see that it appears the cat has intestinal contents in the chest cavity. What is this evidence of?

Diaphragmatic hernia.

A dog in respiratory distress should not be placed in which position for radiographs?

Dorsal.

A fistulogram involves taking a radiograph after a contrast agent is administered into what location?

Draining tract.

The radiograph cassette is usually placed on the tabletop to radiograph which of the following areas in a medium-sized dog?

Elbow.

Which is a hinge joint connecting the humerus to the radius and ulna?

Elbow.

Which of the following should be done with a dog after a myelogram to decrease the risk of procedure-related complications?

Elevate the head.

What is the purpose of a Potter-Bucky diaphragm on an X-ray machine (sometimes called a "Bucky tray")?

Eliminate grid lines on the film.

Which bone articulates with the patella?

Femur.

Which of the following bones is not considered a part of the axial skeleton?

Femur.

During which of the following periods is a human embryo or fetus most sensitive to adverse effects from radiation?

First trimester.

Which of the following correctly describes the order and function of fixer and developer solutions during radiograph processing?

First, developer converts exposed silver crystals into black metallic silver and then fixer dissolves unexposed silver crystals.

Developed radiographs that appear yellow are usually due to a problem with which of the following?

Fixer solution.

Which of the technical errors in radiography will result in increased film density?

Focal-film distance is too short.

Abdominal radiographs should be taken at which of the following times?

Full expiration.

A thoracic radiograph should be taken at which time?

Full inspiration.

Which of the choices below is in the correct order from least-to-most radiodense (darkest-to-whitest on the film)?

Gas, fat, soft tissue and fluid, bone, metal.

The "boxing glove" shape of air in this dog's abdomen is indicative of what emergency?

Gastric dilatation and volvulus.

Nervous tissue without myelin is known as which of the following?

Grey matter.

Linear artifacts on a film are usually due to which of the following?

Grid.

Some x-ray machines have the option of using 2 different sized filaments at the cathode. Which of the following is an advantage of using a larger filament?

Higher exposures can be used.

Which of the following statements about ultrasound probe transducers is true?

Higher frequency probes have increased image resolution and decreased penetrating ability relative to lower frequency probes.

Which is a "ball and socket" type of joint?

Hip.

Which of the following types of radiographs is helpful in confirming the presence of free air or fluid, if it is suspected based on survey films (DV, VD and lateral projections)?

Horizontal beam.

Which of these animals does not have a gall bladder?

Horse.

Which bone is between the scapula and radius?

Humerus.

A dog presents with weakness, depression, polyuria, polydipsia, and dilute urine. X-rays reveal a mediastinal mass. Where is the mediastinum located?

In the chest.

You pull a 6 year old film out of a folder to compare to radiographs that you took today. The old film appears to have yellow-brown staining. What is the likely cause of this?

Incomplete washing of the film.

Choose the answer choice with three methods to INCREASE radiographic density (blackness of film).

Increase energy of X-rays; increase the number of photons; decrease distance from source to film.

Which of the following can be easily changed by a technician to increase the amount of exposure on a radiograph without affecting the amount of contrast?

Increase milliamperage.

Which of the following statements is true regarding radiography of the vertebrae?

Intervertebral disc spaces appear wider toward the center of the film and narrower towards the end of the film.

Which of the following is true of tungsten, making it an ideal material for the filament and target of an x-ray machine?

It has a very high melting point.

If a region of the film does not come into contact with developer but does run through fixer and the rest of the processing steps, what will this region look like?

It will be clear.

An arthrogram involves contrast administration into what region?

Joint.

Which of the following is a legally acceptable method to identify a radiograph in the event that the radiograph needs to be used in court?

Lead letters with patient information are placed at the corner of the field during the radiograph exposure.

Which of the following is NOT part of the axial skeleton?

Limbs.

Which of the following components of a digital radiography unit has the biggest influence on image quality?

Monitor.

Which of the following is the most common factor that prevents a diagnostic radiograph in a horse?

Motion.

What procedure requires the use of contrast (dye)?

Myelogram.

Which of the following statements is true regarding non-screen film in comparison to screen x-ray film in radiography?

Non-screen film is more sensitive to x-rays.

Which of the following structures in the body is most sensitive to radiation?

Ocular lens.

If a pulmonary metastatic lesion is visible on a right lateral radiograph but not on a left lateral radiograph, where is the lesion most likely to be?

One of the left lung lobes.

All of the following pieces of information legally must be present on a radiographic film EXCEPT for which of the following?

Patient breed.

You are taking a lateral radiograph of the left stifle of a dog to assess for a suspected cruciate ligament injury. How should the patient and leg be oriented relative to body and film?

Patient should be in left lateral recumbency with the leg against the cassette.

What technique should be used to obtain a lateral oblique radiograph of the left tympanic bulla?

Patient should be placed in lateral recumbency, left side down; the skull should be rotated 20 degrees towards the VD position.

Which of the following would most commonly be enlarged on chest films of a heartworm positive dog?

Pulmonary arteries.

Name one of the bones that is fractured in this radiograph. (see image.)

Radius.

Which bone is adjacent to the ulna?

Radius.

In radiation safety, what is the difference between the "rad" and the "rem"?

Rem applies a quality factor to rad.

A 3-year old castrated male Doberman Pinscher comes in to the emergency clinic with signs consistent with gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV). Following standard initial emergency treatment for suspected gastric dilation and volvulus, what imaging procedure would be most helpful in confirming the diagnosis?

Right lateral recumbency abdominal radiograph.

You are taking thoracic radiographs to evaluate for lung metastasis in a dog with splenic hemangiosarcoma. What radiographic views should be taken?

Right lateral, left lateral, and either a dorsoventral or ventrodorsal projection.

Which of the following represents the source of the most radiation exposure to a veterinary technician who is restraining a cat for a radiograph, taking the exposure, and processing the film?

Scatter from the patient area.

What is the metallic element present on radiograph film that turns black when exposed and run through the radiograph development process?

Silver.

A double-contrast cystogram involves which of the following?

Soluble positive-contrast media and air injected directly into the bladder.

What are the "Joints" in the skull are referred to as?

Sutures.

You take a series of chest radiographs and notice that all of the films appear darker (more exposed) towards one side of the film. Which of the following is the most likely explanation?

The X-ray beam is usually more intense on one side of the field.

Many x-ray machines used in veterinary medicine have a 2-part exposure process. The first step involves depressing a button or pushing a pedal half-way to prepare the machine for the exposure and then a second button or fully depressing the pedal to take the exposure. What happens in the x-ray machine when the first step is started?

The anode rotates and the filament is heated.

When placing lateral radiographs of the stifle joint on a viewer for a veterinarian to evaluate, how should the film be oriented?

The cranial or dorsal side of the limb should be to the left and the proximal aspect should be toward the top of the viewbox.

Which of the following errors in taking and processing a radiograph would result in a completely clear film?

The exposed film was put in fixer before developer.

When placing craniocaudal radiographs of the stifle joint on a viewer for a veterinarian to evaluate, how should the film be oriented?

The lateral side of the right limb should be to the viewer's left; the lateral side of the left limb should be to the viewer's right.

When taking a radiograph of the radius and ulna, which of the following will occur if the x-ray beam is perpendicular to the cassette but not to the long axis of the radius and ulna?

The radius and ulna will appear foreshortened.

Which of the following is considered part of the plantar surface?

The underside of the hindpaw.

You are asked to take a DLPMO radiograph of a horse's fetlock with a portable x-ray unit. Where will the x-ray unit be and where should the film cassette be?

The x-ray beam should come from the more dorsal side of the limb, and the film will be on the more medial aspect of the limb.

Which bone is not associated with the forelimb?

Tibia.

What three things help to minimize your exposure to radiation while taking radiographs, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission?

Time, Distance, Shielding.

Why are oblique radiographic views of certain joints typically obtained?

To decrease superimposition of structures.

What is the function of the screen of an X-ray cassette?

To decrease the exposure necessary to create an image on the film.

A 7-year old Saint Bernard dog has a lesion of the left distal radius that is highly suspicious for a bone tumor (osteosarcoma). Prior to surgery, a bone scan is ordered and performed. What is the main reason for this study?

To identify possible additional bone lesions (other than the left radius lesion) that may represent bony metastases.

What is the purpose of a grid on an x-ray table?

To prevent scatter radiation from reaching the film.

The olecranon is a structure of which bone?

Ulna.

Which type of urinary stone is lucent and does not typically show up on a radiograph?

Urate.

For which of the following disorders is an intravenous pyelogram most useful in detecting?

Ureteral stones.

A cystogram is a radiographic study performed to identify the position, shape, and lesions involving what structure?

Urinary bladder.

During ultrasound of the bladder, a hyperechoic (white) linear structure is seen against the bladder wall that creates a black shadow obscuring all structures deep to it. What is this structure most likely?

Urolith.

For taking a diagnostic radiograph, which of the following techniques will reduce the amount of scatter radiation that reaches a film?

Use of a grid with a Potter-Bucky diaphragm.

All of the following radiation protection measures are intended to decrease the dose to the technician EXCEPT which of the following?

Use of filtration at the portal of the X-ray tube.

Which of the following principles will always improve radiographic image quality?

Use the highest milliampere (mA) setting and lowest time (s) setting possible to achieve the desired mAs.

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the "heel effect" in diagnostic radiology?

X-ray beam intensity declines toward the anode side of the x-ray machine.

You take and develop an abdominal radiograph of an animal, but the radiograph appears much too light (underexposed) throughout the area of the patient. You increase the exposure (mAs) and the radiograph is still much too light. The portion of the radiograph outside the body of the patient is completely black (exposed). Which of the following is the most likely problem?

X-ray energy (kVp) is too low.

Which of the following is true regarding the properties of x-rays compared to visible light?

X-rays have higher frequency and shorter wavelength.

Which of the following components or settings influence x-ray beam quality?

kVp and filtration.

After taking a radiograph exposure of a patient abdomen at a 40 cm focal-film distance with settings of kVp=60, mAs=2, you have to repeat the exposure using a horizontal beam technique at 80 cm focal-film distance. Assuming there is no change in the tissue penetrated and no other differences aside from the distance in radiographic technique or equipment, what settings should you use to obtain the same radiographic density?

kVp=60, mAs=8. To obtain the same radiographic density, you would not change the energy (kVp) but you would need to change the exposure to account for the difference in distance, which is based on the inverse square law. This law states that the exposure at twice the distance will be reduced to 1/4. Therefore, the mAs must be increased 4X. If there had been other equipment such as a grid on one of the views, there might also be other correction factors to take into account.