Dental Radiology & Imaging Flashcards
7 cards from real ADAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Dental Radiology & Imaging flashcards as text
What is the primary source of occupational radiation exposure for dental professionals during patient radiography?
Answer: Scatter (secondary) radiation from the patient
Scatter radiation generated as the primary beam interacts with the patient is the principal source of occupational exposure for dental personnel standing nearby.
Which radiographic modality provides the broadest single-image survey of the entire maxillofacial region, including all teeth, alveolar bone, and the TMJ?
Answer: Panoramic radiograph
Panoramic (orthopantomogram) radiography uses a rotating X-ray source and receptor to capture the entire maxillofacial skeleton, dentition, and TMJ on one extraoral image.
What fundamental advantage does Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) offer over conventional 2D dental radiographs?
Answer: Three-dimensional volumetric imaging data
CBCT acquires a volumetric data set that can be reconstructed in any plane (axial, coronal, sagittal), providing 3D anatomical detail unavailable on conventional 2D radiographs.
Which is the earliest radiographic sign of a developing periapical abscess?
Answer: Widening of the apical periodontal ligament space
Acute periapical inflammation initially causes edema that widens the apical PDL space before sufficient bone resorption accumulates to create a distinct periapical radiolucency.
Which filtration material is most commonly added to dental X-ray units to remove low-energy, long-wavelength photons that would only increase patient dose?
Answer: Aluminum
Aluminum filters selectively absorb soft, low-energy X-rays that cannot penetrate tissues to form a diagnostic image but would otherwise be absorbed by superficial patient tissues.
Where should a dental operator stand during X-ray exposure if no protective barrier is available?
Answer: At 90–135 degrees to the primary beam, at least 6 feet from the patient
Standing at a 90–135 degree angle to the primary beam and at least 6 feet away places the operator outside the primary beam path and away from the highest scatter intensity.
Which type of digital radiography system uses a reusable flexible phosphor storage plate that is read by a laser scanner?
Answer: Photostimulable phosphor (PSP)
PSP (photostimulable phosphor) plates store a latent image after X-ray exposure and are read by a laser in a dedicated scanner, then erased and reused.