How To Read X Rays

The dentin layer is between the enamel and the pulp.

How to read x rays. If you have the wrong x ray you will be wasting time not saving it step 2 look up the patient s history. As a general rule the heart base should not be wider than 1 2 the total width of the diaphragm. Systematic reading of x rays identify type of fracture simple. The silhouette of the heart should be identified and the heart borders should be clear. Dense materials such as bone and metal show up as white on x rays.

For some types of x ray tests a contrast medium such as iodine or barium is introduced into your body to provide greater detail on the images. Left right erect ap pa supine prone. Examples will follow for each fracture pattern. It is easy to miss a fracture with only one view see red circle. Step 1 check the patient s name.

The green arrows are pointing to the bone. Systematic reading of x rays information found on the x ray are. Comminuted identify the type of fracture. Fat and muscle appear as shades of gray. When you are preparing to read an x ray make sure you have all the information on the patient including age and sex and their medical history.

Reading plain x ray images of the skeleton is a basic radiology skill. Butterfly segment complex. With x rays you can only see the hard tissues such as the teeth and bone but you cannot see the. This sounds obvious but when you are stressed and under pressure you can skip some of the basics. This quick guide shows you some of what we see and what we are looking for.

Above all else make sure you are looking at the correct chest x ray first. Nine pairs of ribs should be seen posteriorly in order to consider a chest x ray adequate in terms of inspiration. The purple arrows are pointing to areas of decay which show up as a dark spot on x rays. This is an x ray of the back teeth on the upper arch. How to read x rays dental x rays enable us to see inside a tooth.