DANB Radiology Errors

Underdeveloped film

Appearance is light; inadequate development time, developer solution too cool.

Overdeveloped film

Appearance is dark; excessive developing time, developer solution too hot.

Reticulation of emulsion

Appearance is cracked; sudden temperature change between developer and water bath.

Developer spots

Appearance is dark or black spots; Developer comes in contact with film before processing.

Fixer spots

Appearance is white or light spots; fixer comes in contact with film before processing.

Yellow-brown stains

Appearance is yellow-brown color; exhausted developer or fixer insufficient fixing and rinsing time.

Developer cutoff

Appearance is straight white border; undeveloped portion of film due to low level of developer.

Fixer cutoff

Appearance is straight black border; unfixed portion of film due to low level of fixer.

Overlapped films

Appearance is white or dark areas appear on film where overlapped; two films contacting each other during processing.

Air bubbles

Appearance is white spots; air trapped on the film surface after being placed in the processing solutions.

Fingernail artifact

Appearance is black crescent-shaped marks; film emulsion damaged by operators fingernail during rough handling.

Fingerprint artifact

Appearance is black fingerprint; film touched by fingers that are contaminated with fluoride or developer.

Static electricity

Appearance is thin, black, branching lines; occurs when a film packet is opened quickly, and when a film pack is opened before radiographer touches a conductive object.

Scratched film

Appearance is white lines; soft emulsion removed from film by a sharp object.

Light leak

Appearance is exposed areas appears black; accidental exposure of film to white light.

Fogged film

Appearance is gray, lack of detail and contrast; improper safe lighting, light leaks in darkroom, outdated films, improper film storage, contaminated solutions.

Unexposed receptor

Appearance with film is the image appears clear; with digital its blank or white. The receptor was not exposed to radiation.

Film exposed to light

Appearance is the image appears black; the film was accidentally exposed to light.

Overexposed receptor

Appearance is dark or high in density; excessive exposure time, kilovoltage, or milliamperage; too much exposure time.

Underexposed receptor

Appearance is light or low in density; inadequate exposure time, kilovoltage, or milliamperage; too little exposure time.

Absence of apical structures

Appearance is no apices are seen on the image; the receptor was not positioned in the patients mouth to over the apical regions of teeth.

Dropped receptor corner

Appearance is the occlusal plan appears tipped or tilted; the edge of the receptor was not placed parallel to the incisal-occlusal surfaces of the teeth; receptor not firmly in bite block.

Overlapped contacts--incorrect horizontal angulation

Appearance is contact area of one tooth is superimposed over the adjacent tooth; the central ray was not directed through the interproximal contacts.

Foreshortened images--incorrect vertical angulation

Appearance is teeth appear short with blunted roots; the vertical angulation was excessive (too steep)

Elongated images--incorrect vertical angulation

Appearance is teeth are long and distorted; the vertical angulation was insufficient (too flat)

Cone-cut WITH beam alignment device

Appearance is clear (unexposed) areas is seen on the image; the PID was not properly aligned with the beam alignment device and the x-ray beam did not expose the entire receptor.

Incorrect placement of premolar bite-wing

Appearance the distal surfaces of canines are not visible on the image; the receptor was positioned too far back in the mouth.

Incorrect placement of Molar bite-wing

Appearance the third molar regions are not visible on the image; the receptor was positioned too far forward in the mouth.

Distorted bite-wing image-- incorrect vertical angulation

Appearance a distorted image is seen; the vertical angulation was negative instead of +10 degrees.

Bite-wing cone-cut WITH beam alignment device

Appearance with a round PID, a curved clear (unexposed) area is seen on the image; the PID was not properly aligned with the bite-wing beam alignment device.

Bite-wing cone-cut without beam alignment device

Appearance a clear (unexposed) area is seen on the image; the PID was not directed at the center of the receptor.

Bending

Appearance is the image appears stretched and distorted; during improper handling, the receptor was damaged.

Creasing

Appearance when using film, a thin radiolucent line is seen on the image; during improper handling the receptor was creased.

Debris accumulation

Appearance, debris on the surface of the sensor may cause permanent radiopaque artifacts or radiolucent scratch marks; sensors are not handled carefully or wiped off between uses.

Phalangioma

Appearance an image of the patients finger is seen on the image; the finger-holding technique, the patients finger was incorrectly positioned in front of the receptor instead of behind.

Double image

Appearance a double image results and appears dark with superimposed structures; the same receptor was exposed twice in the patients mouth.

Movement/motion unsharpness

Appearance a blurred image results; tube head, receptor, or patient movement during the exposure.

Reversed/backward placement

Appearance with film, a light image with a herringbone pattern is seen, with digital a blank or white image is seen; with film/digital the receptor was placed in the mouth backwards.