Radiographic Errors & Artifacts PDF

Radiographic errors & artifacts Dr. Noura Ibrahim Causes of faulty radiograph The majority of the errors produced can be categorized into three groups: I. Technique and projection errors II. Exposure errors III. Processing errors 2 I. Technique and projection errors: A) Patient preparation erro...

Radiographic errors & artifacts Dr. Noura Ibrahim Causes of faulty radiograph The majority of the errors produced can be categorized into three groups: I. Technique and projection errors II. Exposure errors III. Processing errors 2 I. Technique and projection errors: A) Patient preparation error: B) Film placement artifact: C) Projection error: • Radiopaque artifact • Double image • Incorrect vertical angulation • Blurred image • Dot artifact • Incorrect horizontal angulation • Pressure mark • Crown not shown • PID alignment artifact • Area of interest not shown • Distortion • Reversed film • Apices cut off • Dropped film corner • Black line 3 Radiopaque artifact Blurred image 5 Double image 6 Reversed film 7 Dot artifact 8 Apices cut off 9 Crown not shown 10 Dropped film corner 11 Area of interest not shown 12 Black line 13 Distortion 14 Incorrect vertical angulation 15 Incorrect horizontal angulation 16 PID alignment artifact 17 II. Exposure errors: • Blank image • Low density image • High density image • Image with high and low contrast 18 Blank image 19 High density image (faint) 20 Low density image (dark) 21 III. Processing errors: Chemical errors: Film handling errors: • Light image • Writing lines • Dark image • Developer cut off • Blank image • Fixer cut off • Reticulation • Overlapped film • Black spot or patch • Finger nail artifact • Black line • Smudge • White spot or patch • Scratched film • Yellowish brown discoloration • Static electricity 22 Reticulation 23 Black spot or patch 24 Black line 25 White spot or patch 26 Yellowish brown discoloration 27 Developer cut off 28 Fixer cut off 29 Overlapped film 30 Smudge (finger print) 31 Scratched film 32 Static electricity 33 OPG errors (Orthopantomagram) 1) Ghost image • • • • • Resembles its real counterpart and has the same morphology. On the opposite side Indistinct (blurred) Larger (magnified) Higher *Anatomical structure which is most often ghosted is: - Ramus of the mandible 35 36 37 38 2) Lead apron artifact 39 3) Patient positioning errors I. Positioning of the lips and teeth II. Positioning of the Frankfurt plane (upward/downward) III. Positioning of the teeth (anterior/posterior) IV. Positioning of the Midsagittal plane V. Positioning of the spine VI. Patient’s shoulders touching the cassette during exposure VII. Patient’s tongue position during exposure VIII.Distortion due to patient’s movement 40 Positioning of the Frankfurt plane (upward/downward) 41 Positioning of the teeth (anterior/posterior) 42 Positioning of the Midsagittal plane 43 Positioning of the spine 44 Patient’s tongue position during exposure 45 3) Static electricity 46 Revision 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 “ Don’t Count the Days, Make the Days Count. ” 55 Thank you