What describes a pincushion artifact?

A pincushion artifact is characterized by straight lines appearing bowed inwards, which is often seen in radiographic images. This distortion is primarily a result of the geometry of the imaging system, particularly in fluoroscopy and some types of digital imaging. In these scenarios, the magnification is greater at the edges of the image than at the center, leading to the characteristic inward bowing of the lines.

Understanding this effect helps radiologists and imaging technologists recognize and potentially mitigate distortions during imaging processes, ensuring more accurate diagnoses. Awareness of such artifacts is crucial for interpreting images correctly, as it allows healthcare professionals to distinguish between genuine findings and those that are merely artifacts introduced by the equipment or technique.