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Radiology Mnemonics

T1 vs T2 MRI (Mnemonic = WWII or World War II) :

Water is White on a T2 MRI scan

HYPERVASCULAR METASTASES (Mnemonic = CT - MRI – PET) :

C – Choriocarcinoma

T – Thyroid cancer

M – Melanoma

R – Renal cell carcinoma

I – (Increased vascularity metastases)

PET – Pancreatic (neuro)endocrine tumor

OSLER WEBER RENDU SYNDROME (Mnemonic = TEACH) :

T – Telangiectasia

E – Epistaxis

A – Arteriovenous Malformations

C – Cerebral abscess

H – Hemorrhages (pulmonary, GIT)

MEN 1 SYNDROME (Mnemonic = 3Ps or Pit-Para-Pan) :

Pit – Pituitary

Para – Parathyroid

Pan - Pancreas

MEN 2a SYNDROME (Mnemonic = 1M 2P or Me-Para-Pheo) :

Me – Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

Para – Parathyroid

Pheo – Pheochromocytoma

MEN 2B SYNDROME (Mnemonic =1P 2M or Me-MM-Pheo) :

Me – Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

MM – Marfanoid features, Mucosal neuromas

Pheo – Pheochromocytoma

VEIN OF GALEN IS FORMED BY (Mnemonic = Basal ICV) :

Basal – Basal vein of Rosenthal

ICV – 2 internal cerebral veins

POSTERIOR FOSSA MASS IN CHILDREN (Mnemonic = MEGA) :

M – Medulloblastoma

E – Ependymoma

G – Glioma (Brainstem Glioma)

A – Astrocytoma (Pilocytic Astrocytoma)

NEUROFIBROMATOSIS 2 (Mnemonic = MISME) :

M – Multiple

I – Inherited

S – Schwannomas

M – Meningiomas

E – Ependymomas

GRADENIGO SYNDROME (Mnemonic = GRAD RAP) :

GRAD – Gradenigo syndrome

R – Retroorbital pain (cutaneous distribution of frontal & maxillary division of trigeminal nerve)

A – Abducens nerve palsy

P – Petrous apicitis

VANDER HOEVE SYNDROME (Mnemonic = O2) :

O – OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta)

O – Osteosclerosis

VON- HIPPEL LINDAU SYNDROME (Mnemonic = HIPPEL) :

H – Hemangioblastoma

I – Increased frequency of RCC, renal cysts

P – Pheochromocytoma

P – Pancreatic cystic lesions like cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma

E – ELST (Endolymphatic sac tumors), eye lesions like retinal hemangioblastoma

L – Liver cysts

CEREBELLOPONTINE (CP) ANGLE MASS LESIONS (Mnemonic = SAME) :

S – Schwannoma

A – Arachnoid cyst

M - Meningioma

E – Epidermoid cyst

J- SHAPED SELLA TURCICA (Mnemonic = CONMAN) :

C - Chronic hydrocephalus

O - Optic chiasm glioma, OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta)

N - Neurofibromatosis

M - Mucopolysaccharidoses

A - Achondroplasia

N - Normal variant

RING ENHANCING BRAIN LESIONS (Mnemonic = DR MAGIC / MAGIC DR) :

M – Metastasis

A – Abscess

G – GBM (Glioblastoma Multiforme – WHO grade 4)

I – Infections (Neurocysticercosis, Tuberculomas)

C – Contusion

D – Demyelinating disease

R – Radiation necrosis

INTRADURAL SPINAL TUMORS (Mnemonic = HEAL) :

H - Hemangioblastoma

E - Ependymoma

A - Astrocytoma

L - Lipoma

ANTERIOR MEDIASTINAL MASS (Mnemonic = 4Ts) :

T – Thymoma / Thymic mass

T – Teratoma

T – Thyroid mass

T – Terrible lymphoma

USUAL INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONIA (Mnemonic = HARSH) :

H – Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (chronic)

A – Amiodarone, Asbestosis

R – RA, Radiotherapy

S – Systemic Sclerosis (though NSIP is more common)

H – Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome

NON-SPECIFIC INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONIA (Mnemonic = CHARM G) :

C – Chemotherapy, Castleman syndrome

H – HIV

A – Autoimmune disease (RA, PBC, Hashimoto)

R – Rosai Dorfman Syndrome

M – Myelodysplasia

G – GVHD (Graft Versus Host disease)

UPPER ZONE LUNG PATHOLOGY (Mnemonic = BREAST) :

B - Berylliosis

R - Radiation

E - Extrinsic allergic alveolitis

A - ABPA

S – Silicosis, Sarcoidosis

T – TB (Tuberculosis)

LOWER ZONE LUNG PATHOLOGY (Mnemonic = BADSAI) :

B - Bronchiectasis

A - Aspiration pneumonia

D - Drugs

S - Scleroderma

A – Asbestosis

I – Interstitial lung disease (UIP, NSIP)

CAVITATING LESIONS IN LUNG (Mnemonic = CAVITY) :

C – Cancer (SCC)

A - Autoimmune disease like Rheumatoid lung nodules, granulomatosis with polyangiitis

V - Vascular lesions (septic emboli)

I – Infections like Tuberculosis, staphylococcus, klebsiella cavity

T - Trauma causing pneumatocele

Y - Young (CCAM, Lung sequestration, Bronchogenic cyst)

Round cell tumor (Mnemonic = MELON) :

M - Multiple Myeloma

E - Ewing Sarcoma, Eosinophilic Granuloma

L – Leukemia, Lymphoma

O - Osteomyelitis

N – Neuroblastoma

MONTEGGIA FRACTURE VS GALEAZZI FRACTURE (Mnemonic = MUGR) :

MU – Monteggia: Ulna fracture

GR – Galeazzi: Radius fracture

LUCENT BONE LESIONS (Mnemonic = FOGMACHINES) :

F - Fibrous dysplasia (FD)

O - Osteoblastoma

G - Giant cell tumor (GCT)

M – Multiple myeloma, Metastasis

A - Aneurysmal bone cyst

C - Chondroblastoma

H - Hyperparathyroidism

I - Infection (Osteomyelitis)

N - Non-ossifying fibroma (NOF)

E - Enchondroma, Eosinophilic granuloma

S - Simple bone cyst (SBC)

SOLITARY LUCENT BONE LESIONS IN DIAPHYSIS (Mnemonic = FEMALE) :

F - Fibrous dysplasia

E - Ewing sarcoma

M – Multiple myeloma, Metastasis

A - Adamantinoma

L - Lymphoma

E - Eosinophilic granuloma

LUCENT LESION IN POSTERIOR ELEMENTS (Mnemonics = OATs) :

O – Osteoblastoma

A – Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC)

T – Tuberculosis

ANTERIOR VERTEBRAL SCALLOPING (Mnemonic = DAL) :

D – Down syndrome

A – Abdominal aortic aneurysm

L – Lymph nodes (Tuberculosis, Chronic leukemia, Lymphoma)

POSTERIOR VERTEBRAL SCALLOPING (mnemonic = SALMON) :

S – Spinal cord tumors like schwannoma, astrocytoma

A – Achondroplasia, acromegaly

L – Loeys-Dietz syndrome

M – Mucopolysaccharidosis, Marfan syndrome

O – OI (Osteogenesis imperfecta)

N – NF 1 (Neurofibromatosis Type 1)

VERTEBRA PLANA (Mnemonic = MELT) :

M - Metastasis / Myeloma

E - Eosinophilic granuloma

L – Lymphoma / Leukemia

T - Trauma / TB

ELBOW OSSIFICATION CENTERS, IN ORDER (Mnemonic = CRITOE) :

C - Capitellum

R -Radial head

I - Internal epicondyle

T - Trochlea

O - Olecranon

E - External epicondyle

SALTER HARRIS FRATURE CLASSIFICATION (Mnemonic = SALTeR) :

S - Slipped (type I)

A - Above (type II): most common type

L - Lower (type III)

T -Through/Transverse (type IV)

R – Rammed (type V): worst prognosis

CURRARINO TRIAD (ASP) :

A – Anorectal malformation / anal atresia

S – Sacral anomalies / Sacrococcygeal osseous defect

P – Presacral mass lesion (Anterior sacral meningocele)

WORMIAN BONES (Mnemonic = PORKCHOPS) :

P - Pyknodysostosis

O – OI (Osteogenesis imperfecta)

R - Rickets

K - Kinky hair syndrome (Menke disease)

C - Cleidocranial dysostosis

H – Hypothyroidism, Hypophosphataemia

O – OPD syndrome (Otopalatodigital syndrome)

P - Primary acroosteolysis (Hajdu-Cheney syndrome), Pachydermoperiostosis, Progeria

S - Syndrome of Down (Down Syndrome)

GRACILE BONES (Mnemonic = NIMROD) :

N – Neurofibromatosis

I – Immobilization

M – Muscular dystrophy (DMD)

R – RA (Rheumatoid arthritis)

O – OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta)

D – Dysplasias (Marfan, Homocysteinuria)

ERLENMEYER FLASK DEFORMITY (Mnemonic = GOATS OF PD) :

G – Gaucher disease

O – Osteopetrosis

A – Achondroplasia

T – Thalassemia

S – Sickle cell disease

O – Ollier disease (multiple enchondromas)

F – Fibrous dysplasia

P – Pyle disease (Metaphyseal dysplasia)

D – Diaphyseal achalasis

PROTRUSIO ACETABULI (Mnemonic = PROT) :

P – Paget disease

R – RA

O – OI, Osteomalacia

T – Trauma

OSTEOARTHRITIS X-RAY FEATURES (Mnemonic = LOSS) :

L - Loss of joint space

O - Osteopyhtes

S - Subcondral sclerosis

S - Subchondral cysts

PNEUMATOSIS INTESTINALIS (Mnemonic = IPS) :

I - Ischemia

P - Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis

S - Scleroderma / Steroids

RENAL PAPILLARY NECROSIS (Mnemonic = NSAIDs) :

N - Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

S – SCD (Sickle cell disease)

A - Analgesics

I - Infections (Renal Tuberculosis / pyelonephritis)

D – Diabetes mellitus

CORTICAL NEPHROCALCINOSIS (Mnemonic = COGA) :

C – Cortical necrosis (shock, burns)

O – Oxalosis

G – Glomerulonephritis

A – Alport Syndrome

MEDULLARY NEPHROCALCINOSIS (Mnemonic = MAH HOP) :

M – Medullary Sponge Kidney

A – Acidosis (RTA or Renal Tubular Acidosis)

H – Hyperparathyroidism

H – Hypercalcemia / Hypercalciuria

O -Oxalosis

P - Papillary necrosis

References

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