Radiology Mnemonics

Radiology Mnemonics

Chest X-ray interpretation · Preliminary is ABCDEF:
AP or PA
Body position
Confirm name
Date
Exposure
Films for comparison
· Analysis is ABCDEF:
Airways (hilar adenopathy or enlargement)
Breast shadows/ Bones (rib fractures, lytic bone lesions)
Cardiac silhoutte (cardiac enlargement)/ Costophrenic angles
(pleural effusions)
Diaphragm (evidence of free air)/ Digestive tract
Edges (apices for fibrosis, pneumothorax, pleural thickening or plaques)/
Extrathoracic tissues
Fields (evidence of alveolar filling)/ Failure (alveolar air space
disease with prominent vascularity with or without pleural effusions)

Chest X-ray: cavitating lesions differential "If you see 
HOLES on chest X-ray, they are WEIRD":
Wegener's syndrome
Embolic (pulmonary, septic)
Infection (anaerobes, pneumocystis, TB)
Rheumatoid (necrobiotic nodules)
Developmental cysts (sequestration)
Histiocytosis
Oncological
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
Environmental, occupational
Sarcoid
· Alternatively: L=Left atrial myxoma

T2 vs. T1 MRI scan "WW 2" (World War II):
· Water is White in a T2 scan.
· Conversely, a T1 scan shows fat as being whiter.

Elbow ossification centers, in sequence CRITOE:
Capitellum
Radial head
Internal epicondyle
Trochlea
Olecranon
External epicondyle
· In order: appear at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
years; each closes 2 years later.

Chest radiograph: checklist to examine ABCDEFGHI:
Aorta
Bronchus
Cord, spinal
Diaphragm (look for hyperinflation)
Eosphagus (look for foreign body)
Fracture (ribs)
Gas (look for pneumothorax)
Heart (look for cardiomegaly)
Iatrogenic (subclavian line, pacemakers)

Osteoarthritis: x-ray signs LOSS:
Loss of joint space
Osteopyhtes
Subcondral sclerosis
Subchondral cysts

MR imaging/ spectroscopy: important metabolites "Lying
Lazy No Good Crooks Collected My insurance":
Lipid: abnormal
Lactate: abnormal
NAA
Glutamine/glutamate
Creatinine/phosphocreatinine
Choline containing compounds
Myoinositol

Chest x-ray: differential diagnoses of shadow on the upper zones of
lung fields 5 Ts:
Thymoma
Thyroid (retrosternal)
Tuberculosis
Terrible lymphoma
Teratoma

Neck sagittal x-ray: examination checklist ABCD:
Anterior: look for swelling
Bones: examine each bone for fractures
Cartilage: look for slipped discs
Dark spots: ensure not abnormally big, or could mean excess blood

Head CT scan: evaluation checklist "Blood Can
Be Very Bad":
Blood
Cistern
Brain
Ventricles
Bone

Anterior mediastinal masses 4 T's:
Teratoma
Thymoma
Testicular-type
T-cell / Hodgkin's lymphoma

Chest radiograph: checklist to examine "Pamela Found
Our Rotation Particularly Exciting; Very Highly
Commended Mainly 'Cus She Arouses":
Patient details
Film details
Objects (eg. lines, electrodes)
Rotation
Penetration
Expansion
Vessels
Hila
Costophrenic angles
Mediastinum
Cardiothoracic Ratio
Soft tissues and bones
Air (diaphragm, pneumothorax, subcut. emphysema)

Upper/apical lobe infiltration/shadowing/fibrosis: causes 
BREASTS:
Beryllium
Radiation
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
Ankylosing spondylitis/ Aspergillus
Sarcoidosis
TB
Siliconiosis