Radiology

Question 1

What would MRIs show?

Answer 1

• Bone outlines (less detailed)
• soft tissue pathologies
• bone marrow
• discs
• ligaments
• spinal cord
• nerves

Question 2

What are the 3 normal curvatures of the spine?

Answer 2

• cervical lordosis
• thoracic kyphosis
• lumbar lordosis

Question 3

What is the smallest vertebrate region?

Answer 3

• Cervical

Question 4

What are the 2 main sections of each vertebrate?

Answer 4

• vertebral body

- posterior arch

Question 5

What is the posterior arch of a vertebral body composed of?

Answer 5

• 2 pedicles
• 2 laminae
• 1 spinous process
• 2 transverse processes

Question 6

What lies inferior to the pedicle?

Answer 6

• Neural foramen

Question 7

What is transmitted in the neural foramen?

Answer 7

• spinal nerve

Question 8

What is unique about the C1 vertebrate?

Answer 8

• no vertebral body

Question 9

What is unique about the C2 vertebrate?

Answer 9

• has an odontoid process which projects superiorly to C1

Question 10

Explain the appearance of a brust fracture on x-ray?

Answer 10

• Loss of vertebral height compared to normal

Question 11

What causes a burst fracture?

Answer 11

• axial compression

Question 12

What is a potential consequence of a burst fracture?

Answer 12

• Bone retro-pulsed into spinal nerves

- can compress the cauda equina

Question 13

What is responsible for spinal stability?

Answer 13

• the intervertebral ligaments

Question 14

How can ligaments be seen?

Answer 14

• MRI

Question 15

Explain intervertebral disc disease?

Answer 15

• healthy discs are pliable and contain water

- discs may dehydrate

Question 16

Explain disc herniation

Answer 16

• disc material may herniate through the disc lining into the spinal canal
• may press on spinal nerves
• nerve pressure produced sciatica

Question 17

Define primary osteoarthritis?

Answer 17

• OA in an expected joint

- e.g. spine, hip, knee, thumb base or DIP

Question 18

Define secondary osteoarthritis?

Answer 18

• OA in an unexpected joint

Question 19

What are the radiological features of osteoarthritis?

Answer 19

• Asymmetrical joint space reduction
• osteophytes
• sclerosis
• cyst formation

Question 20

What are the common joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis?

Answer 20

• MCP
• MTP
• PIP
• Wrists

Question 21

What are the radiological features of rheumatoid arthritis?

Answer 21

• synovial effusion
• hyperaemia (bone demineralisation)
• pannus erosion
• deformity

Question 22

Seronegative arthritides comprise of what 2 main clinical features?

Answer 22

• synovitis

- enthesitis

Question 23

Define enthesitis?

Answer 23

• inflammation at sites where ligaments and tendons attach to bone

Question 24

What are the radiological features of the Seronegative arthritides

Answer 24

• sacro-iliac joint involvement
• enthesitis
• ankylosis

Question 25

Explain an isotope bone scan

Answer 25

- injection of radioactive material | - inflamed joints receive more isotope and look 'hot'

Question 26

Elbow effusion will appear as what?

Answer 26

- visible fat pad sign posterior

Question 27

Children's fractures?

Answer 27

- soft so prone to bend or bow | - greenstick (incomplete fracture)

Question 28

Bucket fracture and plastic bowing is associated with what age group?

Answer 28

- Children

Question 29

What is the weakest region of developing bone?

Answer 29

- growth plate (physis)

Question 30

What classification system is used for children's fractures?

Answer 30

- Salter-harris classification

Question 31

Bony ring injuries expect to see___

Answer 31

- 2 or more injuries

Question 32

Elderly women falls onto outstretched hand? What fracture most likely?

Answer 32

- Colles fracture

Question 33

Explain the affect of colles fracture

Answer 33

- dorsal angulation of radius

Question 34

Intra-capsular femoral fracture risk?

Answer 34

- risk to blood supply | - Avascular necrosis risk

Question 35

What type of femoral fracture has a AVN (avascular necrosis risk)

Answer 35

- intra-capsular

Question 36

How do you treat an intra-capsular femoral fracture

Answer 36

- hemiarthroplasty

Question 37

How do you treat a extra-capsular femoral fracture?

Answer 37

- internal fixation

Question 38

Explain an acute avulsion fracture

Answer 38

- a small chunk of bone attached to a tendon or ligament gets pulled away from the main part of the bone

Question 39

Where are some normal anatomy sites that may mimic an avulsion fracture?

Answer 39

- sesamoid bones - accessory ossification centres - old non-united fractures

Question 40

A visible posterior fat pad is always abnormal. True or false?

Answer 40

- TRUE

Question 41

What is a Salter-Harris fracture?

Answer 41

- Fracture to the growth plate

Question 42

A young to middle aged man with pain in the anatomical snuffbox. What fracture?

Answer 42

- scaphoid fracture

Question 43

Surgical neck of humerus fracture may have what complication?

Answer 43

- damage to axillary nerve

Question 44

What radiograph view must be performed in a suspected posterior shoulder dislocation?

Answer 44

- oblique vire

Question 45

What fracture are you assessing when you check the humerocapitellar alignment?

Answer 45

- supracondylar fracture | - injury to the narrowest part of the humerus

Question 46

What is the name of the line that marks the point between intra-capsular and extra-casual femoral fractures?

Answer 46

- Inter-trochanter line - proximal = intra-capsular - distal = extra-capsular

Question 47

What would a knee effusion appear like on x-ray?

Answer 47

- effusion will fill the normal suprapatellar fat pad, deep to the quadriceps tendon

Question 48

What is a 'bumper injury'?

Answer 48

- tibial plateau fracture | - valgus force with foot planted

Question 49

What must be remembered when examining a foot x-ray?

Answer 49

- the 5th metatarsal has an accessory ossification centre | - should not be confused with a vertical fracture