Radiology Question: What is a "wet" read?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I hear that phrase, "Get me a wet read of that chest x-ray just done." What does this mean?

I never hear the phrase "dry" read.

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.
Tweety said:

I hear that phrase, "Get me a wet read of that chest x-ray just done." What does this mean?

I never hear the phrase "dry" read.

It's an old expression to convey the meaning of having the X-ray read immediately. Back in the days before x-rays were developed by machine or computer generated, they were hand processed through various chemical tanks. After the image was visible on the film, the final step in the process was a lengthy drying time. The x-ray could be evaluated (read) wet if the MD ordering the film was in a rush, thereby saving the time necessary to dry the film before making the dx and starting treatment.

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ocankhe said:

It's an old expression to convey the meaning of having the X-ray read immediately. Back in the days before x-rays were developed by machine or computer generated, they were hand processed through various chemical tanks. After the image was visible on the film, the final step in the process was a lengthy drying time. The x-ray could be evaluated (read) wet if the MD ordering the film was in a rush, thereby saving the time necessary to dry the film before making the dx and starting treatment.

To add to this.

The image is visible on the wet film, but not all the fine details - so something may be missed w/ only a wet read, but the "big picture" is there.

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I figured that the original meaning had morphed into one that meant that the generalist-type physician did the initial review of the X-ray. Whenever I had been told this, it was typically followed by the "final results pending review by the radiologist" disclaimer. A classic example is the ER doc looking at an X-ray for a possible broken bone. They check it for the apparent problem and then send it out for a second, more expert review in case there is some detail that only a specialist could detect. (I just went through the scenario a couple of weeks ago w/daughter).

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ocankhe said:
It's an old expression to convey the meaning of having the X-ray read immediately. Back in the days before x-rays were developed by machine or computer generated, they were hand processed through various chemical tanks. After the image was visible on the film, the final step in the process was a lengthy drying time. The x-ray could be evaluated (read) wet if the MD ordering the film was in a rush, thereby saving the time necessary to dry the film before making the dx and starting treatment.

Now I feel "old" I remember when a "wet" read was just that! :chair:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Thanks so much for that explanation. It was one of those things I've always wondered about. :)

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SusanJean said:
To add to this...

The image is visible on the wet film, but not all the fine details - so something may be missed w/ only a wet read...but the "big picture" is there.

Yeah, like the wet read I had years ago on an elbow film that showed everything was fine. Sent home with pain meds..... and then, blam! A call from the hospital saying his final read (dry read?) showed a shattered elbow (ouch!). Instead, they went back to the hospital for more X-rays and casting. Yep, there is a difference between wet and dry. :rotfl: (I can laugh about it now because it was so long ago I forget how much it hurt!)

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Tweety said:
I hear that phrase all the time" Get me a wet read of that chest x-ray just done." What does this mean?

I never hear the phrase "dry" read. :chuckle

I had to laugh at this one! A "wet read" was one of the very first "foreign" expressions I ever heard in the hospital. WOW!, you brought back memories - thanks!

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