Radiology and diagnostic imaging
How to read, and when to order, each imaging study.
83 pages
Start here
- FindingChest trauma imaging: ribs, contusion, haemothorax and the aortaAfter a chest injury, a quick X-ray and bedside ultrasound look for problems that kill fast; a…
- FindingAbdominal and pelvic trauma on CT: liver, spleen, kidneys and shock bowelAfter a blow or a wound to the belly, a stable patient gets a contrast CT; an unstable one goes…
- Choosing a studyChoosing the right study: appropriateness and incidental findingsThe best scan answers the clinical question with the least risk
- FindingArthritis on X-ray: osteoarthritis vs inflammatoryWear-and-tear arthritis builds extra bone at the joint edges; inflammatory arthritis eats into…
- FindingPelvic ultrasound in gynaecology: cysts, fibroids, torsionA pelvic scan shows the uterus and ovaries, telling harmless cysts and fibroids apart from…
- FindingHydrocephalus on imagingHydrocephalus is too much fluid inside the brain's cavities, which swell and press on the brain
- ReadingThe FAST and eFAST exam in traumaA quick bedside scan in trauma that looks for blood in the belly, around the heart and, in…
- ReadingImaging when abuse is suspected: the skeletal surveyWhen a young child may have been hurt on purpose, a full set of bone X-rays and often a head…
Areas
- CChest22 pagesChest trauma imaging: ribs, contusion, haemothorax and the aorta · High-resolution CT patterns: ground glass, crazy paving, tree-in-bud · Interstitial patterns: lines, nodules and honeycombing
- Abdomen12 pagesAbdominal and pelvic trauma on CT: liver, spleen, kidneys and shock bowel · Which abdominal study to order, by complaint · Barium and water-soluble contrast studies
- Principles and safety10 pagesChoosing the right study: appropriateness and incidental findings · Gadolinium and the kidney · MRI: T1, T2, FLAIR and diffusion
- Musculoskeletal9 pagesArthritis on X-ray: osteoarthritis vs inflammatory · Hip X-ray: femoral neck fracture · Bone lesions: aggressive or not
- Pelvis, urinary tract and obstetrics8 pagesPelvic ultrasound in gynaecology: cysts, fibroids, torsion · Second- and third-trimester ultrasound: what it checks · First-trimester ultrasound: intrauterine pregnancy, dating and ectopic
- Neuroradiology8 pagesHydrocephalus on imaging · Spine MRI: cord compression, disc and infection · Brain MRI: when it beats CT
- UUltrasound7 pagesThe FAST and eFAST exam in trauma · Focused cardiac ultrasound: effusion, function and the IVC · Kidney and bladder ultrasound: hydronephrosis and residual volume
- CChildren4 pagesImaging when abuse is suspected: the skeletal survey · Intussusception and pyloric stenosis on ultrasound · Imaging children: less radiation, more ultrasound
- NNuclear medicine and interventional radiology3 pagesV/Q, bone and thyroid scans: when they are used · Interventional radiology: what it can do · Nuclear medicine and PET: how they work
A to Z
About this section
How to read, and when to order, the imaging studies a student and a general doctor meet: the chest X-ray step by step, with its classic signs and findings; CT, ultrasound and MRI; imaging of the abdomen, pelvis, musculoskeletal system, brain and children; radiation and contrast; and which study to ask for in each case. Findings are described in words.
Educational content; it does not replace a radiologist's report and is not a clinical instruction. Each study is ordered on the patient's assessment and your institution's protocols.
Representative model, for educational purposes only.