What artifact results from metal jewelry overlapping the receptor during exposure?

What artifact results from metal jewelry overlapping the receptor during exposure?

• A. Radiolucent halos around jewelry
• B. Motion artifacts
• C. Radiopaque artifacts that obscure anatomy
• D. Magnification of the image

Answer: (C)

When metal overlaps the receptor during exposure, dense metal blocks a large portion of the X-ray beam, creating a radiopaque (bright white) area on the image. That radiopaque artifact can cover nearby teeth, roots, and bone, obscuring anatomy and making diagnostic details hard to see. This effect is due to the metal’s high density and its ability to absorb X-rays, not because of motion or image magnification. Removing the jewelry or repositioning the receptor eliminates the artifact.

When metal overlaps the receptor during exposure, dense metal blocks a large portion of the X-ray beam, creating a radiopaque (bright white) area on the image. That radiopaque artifact can cover nearby teeth, roots, and bone, obscuring anatomy and making diagnostic details hard to see. This effect is due to the metal’s high density and its ability to absorb X-rays, not because of motion or image magnification. Removing the jewelry or repositioning the receptor eliminates the artifact.