errors of dental radiography

1. Prepared by :
WRia S. Rasheed

2. I. Technique & Projection errors.
II. Exposure errors.
III.Processing errors.

3. Films with errors should be avoided due
to the following reasons:
Retake will lead to:
•Expose the patient to unnecessary
radiation.
•Waste film & time (money).
•Interfere with accurate
interpretation and diagnosis.

4. Causes of faulty
radiograph
The majority of the errors produced can
be categorized into three groups:
I. Technique & Projection errors.
II. Exposure errors.
III.Processing errors.

5. I. Technique & Projection errors:
a. Patient preparation error:
b. Film placment artifact:
•Blurred image•Radiopaque artifact
•Reversed film•Double image
•Apices cut off•Dot artifact
•Dropped film corner•Crown not shown
•Black line•Area of interest not shown
•Distortion

6. c. Projection errors:
Incorrect vertical angulation.
•Incorrect horizontal angulation
•PID alignment artifact
•Incorrect vertical angulation

7. Technique & Projection errors
a. Patient preparation error
Radiopaque artifact
Dental appliances, body piercings,
jewelry & eye glasses left in the mouth
during exposure will appear as
radiopaque artifact superimposed over
the dental image.
Correction: all this items should be
removed before placing of the film.

10. Technique & Projection errors
a. Patient preparation error
Blurred image
Movement of the film, patient or X-ray
tube head during exposure will result
in a blurred image.
Correction: the operator should explain
for the patient & remind him to remain
motionless during exposure.

12. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Double image
When an exposed film is re-exposed the
resulting film will have 2 superimposed
images

13. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Reversed film
Low density with herring bone, tire-track
or dotted pattern, as a result of directing
the X-ray through the lead foil side of the
film back.

14. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placement artifact
Dot artifact
The identification dot produce a circular
radiolucent artifact on the final radiograph.
This may interfere with interpretation of the
apical areas of the teeth.

15. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Apices cut off
Occur when the film is not positioned
apically enough to record the entire tooth.

16. Crown not shown
Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
There is no enough film extending
occlusally.

17. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Dropped film corner
The film edge is not placed parallel to
the occlusal surface of the teeth.

18. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Area of interest not shown
This is the result of not placing the film to
cover all the teeth in the area of interest
and not centralizing the film over the area
of interest.

19. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Black line
Due to excessive bending of the film prior
to its placement inside the patient’s mouth
(pressure causes ionization of silver halide
upon processing will be darker).

20. Technique & Projection errors
b. Film placment artifact
Distortion
Due to bending of the film to eliminate the
patient’s discomfort specially in lower
premolar area and upper central incisors.
normal distortion

21. Technique & Projection errors
c. Projection errors
Incorrect vertical angulation
It will lead to:
•Elongated image due to insufficient
v. angulation ( too flat), or
•Shortened image due to excessive v.
angulation ( too steep)

22. Technique & Projection errors
c. Projection errors

23. Technique & Projection errors
c. Projection errors

24. Technique & Projection errors
c. Projection errors
Incorrect horizontal angulation
(overlap)
Is the appearance of the interproximal
surfaces of the adjacent teeth over each
other. This is due to improper H.A.

25. Technique & Projection errors
c. Projection errors

26. Technique & Projection errors
c. Projection errors
PID alignment artifact
If the PID is misaligned and the x-ray is
not centered over the film, a partial image
is seen on the resultant radiograph, this
partial image is called cone-cut.
It appear as a clear area with curved
outline.

28. II. Exposure errors.
• Blank image.
• Low density image.
• High density image.
• Image with high and low contrast.

29. Exposure errors
Blank image
A film that didn’t receive radiation will
have no image and will appear clear.

30. Errors in machine operation:
 Excessive milliamperage
 Excessive kilovoltage
 Excessive time
 Film_ source distance too short
processing errors:
 Accidental exposure to light
 Inadequate fixation
 High developer temp.
 High developer conc.
 High developing time

31. Low density (faint) image
(too light)
Exposure errors
Causes:
• Old developer solution
• Low developer temp.
• Low developing time
• Low developer conc.
• Incomplete fixation

32. III. Processing errors
Chemical errors:
•Light image.
•Dark image.
•Blank image.
•Reticulation.
•Black spot or patch.
•White spot or patch.
• Yellowish brown
discoloration.
Film Handling errors:
•Writing lines
•Developer cut off
•Fixer cut off
•Finger nail artifact
•Smudge.
•Scratched film
•Static electricity

33. Processing errors
Chemical errors
Reticulation
When the film
subjected to a sudden
temperature changes
between the
developer and water.
Appear as cracked
film.

34. Processing errors
Chemical errors
Black spot or patch
Developer contamination before
immersion into the developer solution.

35. White spot or patch
Processing errors
Chemical errors
Contamination with fixer before processing

36. Yellowish brown discoloration
Processing errors
Chemical errors
Exhausted solution or insufficient rinsing

37. Processing errors
Film Handling errors
Writing lines
Appear on the radiograph due to writing
on the film packet with ballpoint pen or
lead pencil.
It may appear black or white.
Finger nail artifact
Black or whit crescent shape
mark due to rough handling of
the film.

38. Developer cut off
Processing errors
Film Handling errors
A straight white border . The film may
not be completely immersed in the
developer solution.

39. Fixer cut off
Processing errors
Film Handling errors
A straight black border. The film may not be
completely immersed in the fixer solution.

40. Processing errors
Film Handling errors
Smudge (finger print)
When the film touched by fingers
contaminated with developer or fixer

41. Processing errors
Film Handling errors
Scratched film
White lines appear on
the film due to careless
handling of the film.

42. Processing errors
Film Handling errors
Static electricity
Thin black branching lines Occurs when
two surfaces are rubbed together against
each other vigorously, this creates an
electric charges with visible light emitted
which is capable of exposing the x-ray
film, thus leading to ionization of AgBr
crystals at this area.
Occur most frequently during periods of
low humidity

44. Metallic partial
denture
Blurred

45. Reverse image
Apices cut off

46. Dropped
corner
Distortion

47. Elongation
Horizontal overlap
Double
image

48. Low
denisty
Static electricity

49. White spot or patch
Yellowish brown discoloration

50. Reverse image
Cone-cutDeveloper cut off