ARRT - American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Thorax and Abdomen Procedures Questions and Answers

Question 1

A patient is sent to radiology for a chest examination to rule out a small pneumothorax. The patient is able to stand and cooperate. In addition to the standard PA projection on full inspiration, which of the following would be most beneficial to demonstrate this condition?

Accepted Answer

PA with full expiration

Answer

A pneumothorax is air in the pleural space. An exposure made on full expiration decreases the volume of the lungs, making the lung tissue appear more dense. This increased density provides greater contrast against the free air in the pleural space, making a small pneumothorax easier to visualize. [22, 23]

Question 2

A three-way acute abdomen series is ordered on an ambulatory patient. Which of the following combinations of projections is typically included in this series?

Accepted Answer

AP supine, AP upright, and PA chest

Answer

The standard three-way acute abdomen series consists of an AP supine view to assess bowel gas patterns, an AP upright view to demonstrate air-fluid levels, and a PA chest x-ray. The PA chest is the most sensitive view for detecting small amounts of free intraperitoneal air (pneumoperitoneum) under the diaphragm. [2, 6, 13]

Question 3

When performing a radiograph of the sternum in the right anterior oblique (RAO) position, which of the following techniques is employed to improve visualization of the sternum?

Accepted Answer

A long exposure time with shallow breathing.

Answer

To visualize the sternum in the RAO position, it is projected over the heart's homogenous shadow. An orthostatic (or breathing) technique, which uses a long exposure time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) and low mA while the patient breathes shallowly, is used to blur the overlying lung markings and ribs. This blurring makes the sharp outlines of the sternum more visible. [5, 7, 10]

Question 4

During a double-contrast barium enema (BE), the radiologist wants to visualize the medial side of the ascending colon and the lateral side of the descending colon coated with barium and filled with air. Which position should the technologist use?

Accepted Answer

Left lateral decubitus

Answer

In a double-contrast study, air rises to fill the uppermost portions of the colon. In the left lateral decubitus position, the patient's right side is up. Therefore, air will rise to fill the right-sided structures (ascending colon) and the lateral wall of the left-sided structures (descending colon), providing an optimal double-contrast view of these specific areas.

Question 5

A patient has sustained trauma to the left posterior ribs, specifically ribs 9 and 10. Which of the following positioning and breathing instructions are most appropriate for the oblique projection to best demonstrate this injury?

Accepted Answer

Left posterior oblique (LPO), suspended expiration

Answer

To demonstrate posterior ribs, the affected side is placed closest to the image receptor; therefore, an LPO is used for the left posterior ribs. [30] Examinations of ribs below the diaphragm (ribs 9-12) should be performed on suspended expiration to elevate the diaphragm, which provides a less dense background and better visualization of the lower ribs. [7, 15, 24]

ARRT - American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Practice Test

ARRT - American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Practice Test

ARRT - American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Thorax and Abdomen Procedures Questions and Answers