How to Read Radiographs
A radiograph is an image that is created on a radio-sensitive surface such as a photographic film. For example, a chest X-ray. In medicine, a projection radiograph is used to help doctors diagnose conditions that affect the part of the body being X-rayed.
Healthcare professionals are taught to read and interpret radiographs because the results allow them to correctly diagnose the ailments that are affecting their patients. X-rays help to identify fractures, lesions, air pockets and other elements that may affect an individual's overall state of health.
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Prepare the reading room. A radiograph has to be viewed in a darkened room in order to clearly see every detail in the image. You will need at least two evenly-lit viewing boxes and probably a bright-light illuminator to cover the overexposed parts of the film.
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2
Determine if there are old films available for viewing. The best way to arrive at a proper diagnosis is to consult old X-rays of the patient in relation to the new one. You want to have the old film displayed on the viewing box as well.
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3
Learn how to interpret technical terms, and to determine how an image was captured. For instance, is the image's projection showing the standard frontal area (posteroanterior) or an alternative frontal projection (anteroposterior), as in cases where in the X-ray was taken from the patient's bedside.
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4
Identify discontinuities in the image. These refer to the interruptions to the structure of the body area being viewed. Interruptions usually occur in heat-affected zones, such as where base metals are present in the body part. A defect is assumed to occur when there are discontinuities that do not coincide with specifications that were presented according to the patient's health.
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5
Assess the density of the parts. As a general rule, denser parts of the body display brighter and are more transparent from the view box. The various shades of gray that you will notice on the radiograph are tissue in varied sizes and densities. You need to know where each organ, tissue or bone is supposed to be located in order to accurately determine if what you're seeing is an abnormality.
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Be on the lookout for leakages and changes in density. For example, air leakages can cause the volume of the tissues to increase. When the volume of a tissue increases, the area becomes less dense and, as a result, will register as a darker than normal shade of gray. You want to consult the old radiograph to compare.
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7
Look out for fractures and fissures on the bones. The parts of the body closer to the film generally register more clearly. This is why bone fractures are easily detected through X-rays. The radiograph shows clear and well-defined edges of the bones, so you want to examine every area to make sure that there are no cracks on them.
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Tips & Warnings
It's always best to be more familiar with the different orientations of the body through which an X-ray can be performed. This is so you can visualize the position of the patient when the radiograph was captured.
Always consult your physician for any medically-related symptoms and/or diagnoses.
