Title: Chapter 32 Film Artifacts
1Chapter 32 Film Artifacts
2Retake Analysis
- Required part of a QA program in California.
- Evaluation includes
- View repeated
- Cause of the repeat
- Rate of retakes should be less than 5.
- Information can be gathered from the log that the
state mandates for patients being exposed to
radiation.
3Chapter 32 Image Artifacts
- An artifact is any irregularity on an image that
is not caused by the normal shadowing of tissue
by the primary beam. - There are three areas where artifacts occur
- Exposure
- Processing
- Handling
4Exposure Artifacts
- Exposure artifacts are generally associated with
how the examination was performed. Example
include - Incorrect screen film match or wrong film
- Poor screen contact
- Warped cassettes
- Dirty screens
- Improper use of a grid.
- Improper technical factors most common reason
for retakes.
5Exposure Artifacts
- Improper preparation of the patient for the exam
or gowning instructions. - Double exposures
- Motion blur from improper breathing instructions.
- Improper positioning of the patient and equipment.
6Common exposure artifacts
- Appearance
- Unsuspected foreign objects such as jewelry
- Double exposure
- Blur
- Obscured detail
- Cause
- Improper patient preparation
- Reuse of an already exposed cassette
- Improper patient movement, breathing
- Poor screen contact
7Dentures
- Older patients may have removable dentures for
the upper or lower teeth. - As part of the gowning instructions ask about
dentures.
8Dentures
- Partial Dentures are attached to the remaining
teeth with metal clips. - Can cause major problems on APOM views.
9Poor Gowning Ear Rings
- There we see an ear ring on a base posterior view.
10Poor Gowning Ear Ring
- A single ear ring on a lateral cervical spine
view.
11Poor Gowning Pins in Hair
- Bobby pins can ruin cervical or skull radiographs.
12More Hair
- Here are two A-P cervical spine view.
- One the first view a soft tissue mass is seen at
the base of the skull. - The patients hair was in a bun. She put her hair
down and the mass disappeared.
13More Hair Artifacts
- Another example of mouse and dreadlocks.
- You will not be able to get the patient to remove
the dread locks so have the patient but their
hair up for the A-P
14Hair Extensions
15Poor Gowning Necklace
- When someone measures the patient and positions
the view, how can you not see a necklace?
16Poor Gowning Bra
- The complete study of a brassiere.
- P-A Lateral Views
17Patient with arms across chest
- Make sure the arms are to the patients sides and
out of the view on A-P or P-A views.
18Rings and Watch
- The doctor failed to have the patient remove
their rings and watch.
19Patient with arm to side
- Make sure the arms are properly positioned for
lateral views.
20Metallic artifacts on Lumbar View
- Intern took film with patient in shorts.
- Shorts had metal eyelets for the drawstrings.
- Something in pocket.
21Lateral Gonad Shield
- It is very important to remove the shield after
it is used. - The patient was too large to be done P-A.
22Fingers in the spine
- Keep the hands above the lumbar spine when taking
the lateral view.
23Cassette Artifact Dirty Screens
- Dirty or damaged screens will cause white spots
on the image.
24Dirty Damaged Screens
- The white spots on this film are the result of
damaged or worn out screens. - Never use alcohol or detergents to clean screens.
25Poor Screen Contact
- Note the blurry image in the spine but sharp
image of the ribs. - The screens were not in proper contact in the
middle of the cassette due to a bow in the
cassette back.
26Processing artifacts
- Processing artifacts are produced during the time
the film is in the film processor. - Processing artifacts can be eliminated with a
proper processor quality control program and
frequent cleaning. - Occasionally the best film processor will jam or
malfunction and produce artifacts.
27Common Processing Artifacts
- Appearance
- Guide shoe marks
- Pi lines
- Sharp increase or decrease in OD
- Uniform dull gray fog
- Cause
- Improper position of guide shoes in turn-around
assembly. - Dirt or chemical stains on rollers
- Dirty or warped rollers
- Improper or bad chemistry
28Film Guide Scratches
- Guide shoes scratches are parallel and run in the
direction of film travel.
29Other Processing Artifacts
- Here we see hesitation marks on top of film.
- This film remained in the developer too long.
Perhaps from - Power Failure
- Processor jam
30Other Processing Artifacts
- This is what contaminated developer looks like.
- Contaminated developer can also appear as a pink
film.
31Processor Chemical Marks
- This artifact is called a run back artifact.
- Proper cleaning of the cross over rollers can
reduce the incidence of this artifact.
32Processor Water Marks
- These spots are the result of water spots on the
film. - The upper rollers in the wash tank are supposed
to squeegee the film.
33Chemical Run Down Artifact
- If the squeegee rollers in the developer rack do
not work, the chemicals run down the film forming
the appearance of water running down a window.
34Kissing Artifacts
- If more than one film is feed into the processor
at once, only one side of the emulsion will be
completely processed.
35Kissing Artifacts
- By running the film through the fixer, the
undeveloped emulsion can be fixed and the image
will be less degraded.
36Kissing Artifacts
- By running the film through the fixer, the
undeveloped emulsion can be fixed and the image
will be less degraded.
37Dirty Developer Rollers
- The rollers in the developer tank or cross over
are dirty. - This causes the black artifacts on the middle of
the film. - Oxidized developer is left on the film.
38Tractor Marks from Film Jam
- Marks that appear as tractor tracks on the upper
left portion of the film are referred to as
Tractor Marks. - Result of film being feed crocked and jamming the
processor.
39Film Handling Artifacts
- A number of artifacts can occur while the film is
in storage, in the darkroom or in the x-ray room. - Film is sensitive to heat and humidity.
- After exposure it is very sensitive to fog from
lighting problems in the darkroom. - Improper handling can cause artifacts.
- All handling artifacts are avoidable!!!!
40Common Handling Storage Artifacts
- Appearance
- Fog
- Pressure or kink marks
- Streaks of increased OD
- Cause
- The temperature or humidity too high.
- Safelight too bright, too close or wrong filter.
- Light leak or other light in darkroom.
- Film left in x-ray room during exposure.
- Rough handling of film.
- Film not completely in processor when darkroom
door opened.
41Common Handling Storage Artifacts
- Appearance
- Crown, tree or smudge static
- Yellow-brown stain
- Cause
- Humidity or temperature too low
- Thiosulfate left on film due to improper washing
42Film Handling Artifacts
- Crescent shaped artifact is a nail crinkle mark.
It is caused by improper film handling. - Black spots are scratches from work surface.
43Film Handling Artifacts
- The door to the darkroom was opened before the
film was completely in the processor.
44Film Handling Artifacts
- The top of the film is exposed to light by
opening to darkroom door or turning on the lights
with the box open.
45Film Handling Artifacts
- Some roller artifacts are seen caused by
developer being on the entrance rollers. - Cause Pulling a film out of the processor feed
tray.
46Static Electricity
- Static electricity discharge may appear as a tree
or lightning strike. - It may also produce round smudges.
- Keep humidity in area at proper level.
47Film Not Left in Box in Film Bin
- The box that the film comes in serves as
protection from scratching. - If you take too many sheets out, replace excess
film in box not just in the bin.
48Improperly Washed Film
- If the wash tank is not properly filled, fixer is
retained on the emulsion. - The retained fixer form silver sulfide and turns
the image brown.
49End of Lecture