Advanced Radiographic Pathology: Radiographic Appearances

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key radiographic appearance signs and related conditions from the lecture notes.

Atelectasis

Complete or partial collapse of a lung or lobe; radiographic appearance includes a black region with shift of the heart and trachea.

Emphysema

Lung condition causing shortness of breath; radiographic signs include a barrel-shaped chest and a flattened diaphragm.

Pneumothorax

Air in the pleural space causing the lung to be displaced from the chest wall with absent lung markings on radiographs.

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

Blockage in a pulmonary artery, often from a blood clot traveling from the legs (DVT); radiographic hint can be wedge-shaped opacity (Hampton’s hump).

Crohn’s Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease with radiographic signs of cobblestone appearance and string sign.

Intussusception

Telescoping of one part of the intestine into another; radiographic sign described as a coiled spring.

Coiled spring

Radiographic appearance typical of intussusception.

Volvulus

Twisting of a loop of intestine around itself and its mesentery, causing obstruction; radiographic sign described as a bird beak.

Bird beak

Radiographic sign seen with volvulus

Ulcerative Colitis

Chronic inflammatory bowel disease; radiographic signs include cobblestone appearance and stovepipe configuration.

Cobblestone stovepipe

ulcerative colitis appearance

Paget’s Disease

radiographic appearance described as cotton-wool appearance.

Multiple Myeloma

Cancer of plasma cells; radiographic sign described as punched-out lesions

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Inflammatory arthritis of the spine; radiographic appearance described as bamboo spine.

Compression Fracture

Vertebral fracture where the vertebral body shows anterior wedging on radiographs.

Anterior wedging

Compression fracture of appearance and radiography

Spondylolysis

Defect or stress fracture in the pars interarticularis of a vertebra; radiographic sign described as a Scottie dog wearing a collar.

Barrett’s Esophagus

GERD complication where esophageal lining changes to intestinal-type mucosa; radiographic sign described as streaked esophagus.

Streaked esophagus

Radiographic appearance seen in Barrett’s esophagus with

Esophageal varices

Abnormally dilated veins in the esophagus; radiographs may show a wormlike esophagus.

Wormlike

Radiographic appearance of esophageal varices showing elongated,

Ileus

Lack of intestinal movement leading to buildup and potential blockage; radiographic signs include circular staircase and herringbone (step ladder) patterns.

Neoplasm

New and abnormal tissue growth; radiographic signs include apple-core and napkin ring appearances.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Enlargement of the prostate gland; radiographic sign includes an indented bladder floor.

Indented bladder floor

Indentation of imaging associated with BPH.