3 Imaging and Nuclear Medicine Diagnostics Free Online FlashCards

What should a patient do if pregnancy is possible before a radiograph?

Tell the clinician or technologist before the exam so the team can assess the safest appropriate imaging plan.

What information matters before CT with intravenous contrast?

Report any prior iodinated-contrast reaction, kidney disease or impaired kidney function, current medications, and relevant allergies.

Which brief sensations can occur during intravenous contrast injection?

A brief warm or flushed feeling, metallic taste, or temporary urge to urinate can occur with intravenous contrast.

What is the priority response to throat swelling and breathing difficulty during contrast CT?

Notify the imaging team immediately and activate the facility’s emergency response; these symptoms may signal a severe reaction.

What energy does MRI use, and does it use ionizing radiation?

MRI uses a strong magnetic field and does not use ionizing radiation.

What should a patient with an implanted device do before MRI?

Disclose the exact device and provide its identification information; the MRI team must verify safety before scanning.

Why do ultrasound preparation instructions vary?

Preparation depends on the study: some exams may require fasting, while others may require a full bladder.

How may gallstones appear on ultrasound?

Gallstones may appear as bright echoes with acoustic shadowing; the finding must be interpreted in clinical context.

Why may patients be told to drink fluids after a bone-scan injection?

Drink fluids as instructed to help clear radiotracer that does not bind to bone.

What does a bone-scan “hot spot” establish?

Increased uptake indicates increased tracer activity, but it is not diagnostic by itself; it can occur with fracture, infection, or cancer.

Why may a patient need to fast before PET/CT?

Food and blood sugar or insulin levels can affect tracer distribution and scan quality. Follow the imaging team’s fasting and diabetes instructions.

Does increased tracer uptake on PET/CT prove cancer?

Increased tracer uptake can occur in cancer but also for other reasons, so it does not establish a diagnosis by itself.