What artifact is likely to appear on an x-ray image if a patient is wearing denim jeans during a knee x-ray?

When a patient wears denim jeans during a knee x-ray, the dense fabric can interfere with the imaging process. Denim, being made of tightly woven cotton, has a higher atomic number and density compared to the surrounding tissues. This situation is likely to result in an artifact—an unwanted feature that appears on the x-ray image due to external factors.

Artifacts can manifest as areas of decreased clarity or unusual markings that do not represent the underlying anatomy accurately. The presence of the jeans can introduce streaks, shadows, or other distortions in the image, thus affecting the overall quality of the x-ray and potentially hindering accurate diagnosis.

Understanding this helps ensure that patients are informed about clothing to avoid during imaging procedures to minimize unnecessary complications and maintain the integrity of the x-ray results.