Radiologic Technology: Laboratory Equipment, Anatomy, Planes, and Body Landmarks

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering radiology lab tools, basic anatomy, body cavities and regions, planes, body habitus, directional terms, landmarks, and common radiologic body positions.

What instrument is used for spot test sampling, drop transfers, cleaning, mixing, and stirring?

Application Stick

Which instrument helps examine oral structures?

Tongue depressor

What is the function of a medicine dropper?

To transfer liquid or extract tiny quantities of samples onto microscope slides

What device holds objects for examination under a microscope?

Glass slide

What accessory covers the specimen on a microscope slide to prevent drying?

Cover Slip

What are beaker, test tube, and test tube rack used for?

Beaker and test tubes hold reagents or samples; the rack holds multiple test tubes upright

What material is used for embedding surgical specimens?

Paraffin wax

What tool is used to measure a patient’s body?

Tape measure

What instrument is used to test the frequency range of hearing?

Tuning fork

What are the two types of hearing loss described and where are they located?

Compound (conductive, physical ear issues like clogging) and Sensorineural (neural/nerve pathway issues)

What is the reflex hammer used for?

Testing reflexes of deep tendons to check nervous system abnormalities

What is the purpose of a pen light?

Assessment tool for small body parts (eyes, ears, nose, mouth)

What does Snellen’s Chart test?

Visual acuity or sharpness of vision

What is the eyepiece on a microscope?

The lens you look through to see the specimen

What does the diopter adjustment do on a microscope?

Changes focus on the eyepiece

What is the function of the nosepiece on a microscope?

Movable circular structure that houses all the objective lenses

What are the four objective magnifications listed for the microscope?

4x, 10x, 40x, 100x

Which microscope objective requires oil immersion?

100x objective

Which knob is used for coarse focusing at low power?

Coarse Adjustment Knob

Which knob provides small, slow focus changes?

Fine Adjustment Knob

What is the stage on a microscope used for?

Flat platform where slides are placed (Stage Clips hold the specimen)

What is the purpose of the condenser on a microscope?

Lenses to collect and focus light from the illuminator onto the specimen

What does the diaphragm (iris) control on a microscope?

The amount of light reaching the specimen

What is the microscope illuminator?

The light source for the microscope

What part houses the objective lenses on a microscope?

Nosepiece

What does the Sphygmomanometer measure?

Blood pressure

What part of the sphygmomanometer inflates to compress the arm?

Bladder (within the cuff)

What part of the sphygmomanometer holds the cuff around the arm?

Cuff

What component of the sphygmomanometer deflates the cuff?

Valve

What component pumps air into the cuff?

Bulb

What device measures blood pressure in mmHg?

Manometer

What is the purpose of a stethoscope?

Auscultation (listening to internal body sounds)

What does the stem of a stethoscope do?

Rotates the head and switches between diaphragm and bell

What are the diaphragm and the bell used for in auscultation?

Diaphragm: high-frequency sounds (lungs); Bell: low-frequency sounds (heart)

What are the two main body cavities called?

Dorsal (back) and Ventral (front) cavities

What organs are contained in the Cranial Cavity?

Brain (within the skull)

What is contained in the Vertebral Canal?

Spinal cord

Which cavity contains the heart and lungs?

Thoracic cavity (part of the Ventral cavity)

What separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities?

The diaphragm

What organs are primarily in the Abdominal Cavity?

Stomach, spleen, liver, gallbladder, small intestines, most of the large intestines

What organs are contained in the Pelvic Cavity?

Urinary bladder, portions of the large intestine, internal reproductive organs

What are the two planes that divide the Abdominopelvic region into four quadrants?

Transumbilical plane and median plane

What organs are in the Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)?

Liver, stomach, right kidney, pancreas, gallbladder, right adrenal gland, ascending and transverse colon

What organs are in the Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)?

Liver, stomach, left kidney, spleen, left adrenal gland, transverse and descending colon

What organs are in the Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)?

Lower small intestine, right ureter, cecum, right reproductive organs, ascending colon, appendix

What organs are in the Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)?

Descending colon, sigmoid colon, left reproductive organs, lower small intestine, left ureter

Name a few Abdominopelvic Regions.

Right Hypochondriac, Left Hypochondriac, Epigastric, Right Lumbar, Left Lumbar, Umbilical, Right Iliac, Left Iliac, Hypogastric

What does the Epigastric region contain?

Stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, duodenum, and adrenal glands

What does the Right Hypochondriac region contain?

Liver, gallbladder, and right kidney

Where is the Left Hypochondriac region located and what does it contain?

Left side; contains stomach, liver (tip), pancreas, left kidney and spleen

What does the Umbilical region contain?

Stomach, pancreas, small intestine, and transverse colon

What does the Right Iliac (Inguinal) region contain?

Small intestine, appendix, cecum, and ascending colon

What does the Left Iliac (Inguinal) region contain?

Small intestine, descending colon, and sigmoid colon

What does the Hypogastric region contain?

Small intestine, sigmoid colon, bladder, and reproductive organs

What is IOML?

Infraorbitomeatal Line, line from the inferior orbital margin to the external auditory meatus

What is Body Habitus?

Common variations in body shape: Sthenic, Asthenic, Hyposthenic, Hypersthenic

Define each Body Habituss.

Sthenic – moderately built; Asthenic – frail; Hyposthenic – between sthenic and asthenic; Hypersthenic – massive build

What is the difference between Medial and Lateral directional terms?

Medial: nearer to midline; Lateral: farther from midline

What does Proximal mean?

Closer to the point of attachment or origin

What does Distal mean?

Farther from the point of attachment or origin

What do Cephalic/Cranial

Cephalic/Cranial: toward the head

What do Internal and External refer to?

Internal: inside an organ or body; External: outside an organ or outside the body

What do Superficial and Deep refer to?

Superficial: near the surface; Deep: far from the surface

What do Superior and Inferior refer to?

Superior: nearer the head or above; Inferior: nearer the feet or below

What do Visceral and Parietal refer to?

Visceral: covering of an organ; Parietal: wall or lining of a body cavity

What is Dorsal/Posterior anatomy?

Back part of a body or organ

What is Ventral/Anterior anatomy?

Front part of the body or organ

What is Dorsum Pedis?

Top surface of the foot

What is Dorsum Manus?

Back (posterior) surface of the hand

What do Plantar and Palmar refer to?

Plantar: sole of the foot; Palmar: palm of the hand

What is the Glabella?

The area between the eyebrows and above the nose

What is the Nasion?

Midline bony depression between the eyes

What is the Acanthion?

Junction of the nose and the upper lip

What is the Gonion?

Midpoint of the mandibular angle (level around cervical C2–C3)

What is the Symphysis Menti?

Midline joining the left and right halves of the mandible

What is the External Auditory Meatus?

Opening to the ear canal

What is the Thyroid Cartilage (Adam’s Apple) and its level?

Largest cartilage of the larynx; level around cervical vertebra C5

What is Vertebral Prominens and its landmark?

7th cervical vertebra (C7), base of the neck you can feel at the back of the neck

What is the Jugular Notch (Manubrial/Suprasternal Notch)?

Large depression on top of the sternum

What is the Angle of Louis?

The sternal angle formed between the manubrium and the body of the sternum

What is the Xiphoid Tip?

Distal and smallest part of the sternum

What are Intercostal Spaces?

Spaces between the ribs

Where is the Inferior Angle of the Scapula located?

Inferior part of the scapula, at the level of T7

Where is the Olecranon Process?

Bony tip of the elbow

What is the Ulnar Styloid Process?

Prominence at the distal end of the ulna

What is the Iliac Crest?

Superior border of the ilium

What is the ASIS?

Anterior Superior Iliac Spine; used for examining the intestines

What is the Greater Trochanter?

Found at the superolateral part of the femur

What is the Patella?

Bone at the front of the knee joint (kneecap)

What are Malleoli?

Prominent bones at the ankle: Medial Malleolus (inner) and Lateral Malleolus (outer)

What is the Iliac Crest level?

Superior border of the ilium (hip bone)

What is Trendelenburg position?

Supine with the head tilted downward, head lower than the feet; used to examine bowels; IR on the dorsal surface

What is the Fowler’s position?

Head higher than the feet; IR in contact with dorsal surface

What is Sim’s position?

Lying on the left anterior side with left leg extended and right knee and thigh partially flexed; IR partially in contact with ventral surface; used for barium enema test

What is Lithotomy position?

Supine position with knees and hips flexed, thighs abducted and externally rotated; IR in contact with the dorsal surface

What is Oblique position?

Body rotated so the coronal plane is not parallel with the IR; IR partially in contact with the dorsal surface

What is the Left Lateral Decubitus position?

Lying on the left side with the central ray horizontal and parallel to the floor; IR can be placed on the lateral, dorsal, or ventral surface; note: tube orientation differs from Lateral Recumbent