The misleading appearance of silver nitrate on plain radiography

Cauterisation with silver nitrate is commonly used to treat overgranulation. Silver nitrate has a high density and a high mass attenuation coefficient, and it is therefore highly radio-opaque. We present a case in which its topical application to an area of overgranulation was interpreted as a bony...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 2014-04, Vol.96 (3), p.e3-e4
Main Authors: Narayan, N, Nogaro, M C, Littlewood, A, Latimer, M D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Caustics
Cautery - methods
Child, Preschool
Diagnostic Errors
Female
Fracture Healing
Fractures
Granulation Tissue - diagnostic imaging
Humans
Humeral Fractures - diagnostic imaging
Nose
Online Case Report
Radiography
Silver Nitrate
Wound healing
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Summary:Cauterisation with silver nitrate is commonly used to treat overgranulation. Silver nitrate has a high density and a high mass attenuation coefficient, and it is therefore highly radio-opaque. We present a case in which its topical application to an area of overgranulation was interpreted as a bony fragment by the reporting radiologist in a patient with a supracondylar humeral fracture whose radiograph after removal of K-wires showed a large radio-opaque lesion. Although not a new phenomenon, it is one not widely known, and it can lead to confusion and unnecessary further imaging.
ISSN:0035-8843
1478-7083
DOI:10.1308/003588414X13814021678952