What are ghost tracks on an X-ray?

From the Guidelines

Ghost tracks in X-ray imaging are artifacts that appear as faint, duplicate images overlapping the actual anatomical structures, which can compromise diagnostic accuracy and are typically caused by patient movement, timing issues in digital radiography systems, or improper erasure of imaging plates in computed radiography. These artifacts can result from various factors, including:

• Patient movement between exposures in dual-energy subtraction radiography
• Timing issues in digital radiography systems
• Improper erasure of imaging plates in computed radiography, where residual information from previous exposures remains visible on subsequent images, as discussed in the context of radiation safety and image quality in fluoroscopically guided invasive cardiovascular procedures 1 To prevent ghost tracks, it is essential to:
• Ensure proper erasure of imaging plates between uses
• Minimize patient movement during image acquisition
• Maintain imaging equipment according to manufacturer specifications, following the principle of ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) to minimize radiation exposure and potential complications, such as radiation-induced skin injury 1 When ghost tracks are observed, repeating the X-ray with proper technique may be necessary to obtain diagnostically acceptable images, and understanding these artifacts is crucial for radiologic technologists and radiologists to avoid misinterpretation of images and unnecessary repeat examinations.

From the Research

Definition of Ghost Tracks X-Ray

• Ghost tracks x-ray refer to a type of artifact that can appear on radiographic images, including x-rays [(2,3)].
• These artifacts can be caused by various factors, such as the movement of the patient or the x-ray beam, and can result in the appearance of ghost-like images on the radiograph 3.

Formation of Ghost Images

• The formation of ghost images on panoramic radiographs can be explained by the path and angles of the x-ray beam 2.
• The use of radiopaque markers and adjustment of the mandible position can help simulate pseudo-ghost and typical ghost images on panoramic radiography 2.

Reduction of Ghost Artifacts

• Ghost artifacts can be reduced by patient immobilization, cardiac/respiratory gating, or increasing the field of view 3.
• Knowledge of different types of artifacts and their origin is necessary to eliminate them or reduce their negative influence on images 3.

X-Ray Ghost Imaging

• X-ray ghost imaging is a technique that uses an incoherent low brightness x-ray tube source to reconstruct high-contrast images 4.
• This technique has the potential to be utilized with tabletop x-ray sources, advancing the possibilities of high-resolution ghost diffraction 4.