Radiographic Image quality

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
 Exposure Artifacts
• Exposure artifacts are generally associated with how the
examination was performed. Examples include:
• Incorrect screen film match
• Poor screen contact
• Warped cassettes
• Dirty screens
• Improper use of a grid.
• Improper technical factors – most common reason for retakes.
• 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.
Common exposure artifacts
Dentures

• Older patients may have

removable dentures for
the upper or lower teeth.
• As part of the gowning
instructions ask about
dentures.
Poor Gowning: Jewelry
Poor Gowning: Pins in Hair

•Bobby pins can ruin

cervical or skull
radiographs.
Patient with arms across chest

•Make sure the

arms are to the
patient’s sides and
out of the view on
A-P or P-A views.
Metallic artifacts
• Film with patient in
shorts.
• Shorts had metal eyelets
Cassette Artifact Dirty Screens

• Dirty or damaged screens will

cause white spots on the image.
Film Handling and storage 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.
Common Handling & Storage Artifacts
Light or Radiation Fog
• White-light leaks in the darkroom or within the
cassette cause streak like artifacts of increased OD.
• If the safelight has an improper filter, the safelight is
too bright, or the safelight is too close to the film
processing tray, the image may be fogged.
• Films left in the x-ray examination room during an
exposure can become fogged by radiation.
• Radiation fog and safelight fog look alike.
Pressure or Kink Marks

• Rough handling before processing can cause scratches and kink

marks.
• Although the kink mark may appear as a fingernail mark, it is
not.
• It is caused by the kinking or abrupt bending of film.
• Both events usually appear as increased OD.
 Static
• Static is probably the most obvious
artifact.
• It is caused by the buildup of electrons
in the emulsion and is most noticeable
during winter and during periods of
extremely low humidity.
• Three distinct patterns of static are
crown, tree, and smudge.
• Static electricity discharge may appear
as a tree or lightning strike.
Static
Positioning artifacts
• Magnification
• Foreshortening / distortion
• Patient rotation
• Upside-down cassette
• Grid cut off
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https://www.slideshare.net/BLACKY20081/radiographic-artifacts-74922653
Exposure artifacts
• Motion
• Double exposure
• Overexposure
• Underexposure
• Material obstructing x-ray beam