What should you do if you encounter a herringbone slide in radiographic film?

When encountering a herringbone slide pattern in radiographic film, the ideal action is to reverse the film. A herringbone pattern is typically indicative of a processing error, often due to the film being exposed to light or improper positioning in the film holder during exposure.

Reversing the film can help eliminate the herringbone effect by properly orienting the film to ensure that it is in the correct alignment with the x-ray beam during subsequent exposures. This can help achieve a clearer image and prevent the flaws associated with misalignment or improper handling.

Other options, such as leaving it as is, re-exposing the film, or cutting the film, do not address the underlying issue effectively. Leaving it unchanged means accepting the poor quality of the image, while re-exposing without correcting the orientation could lead to the same result. Cutting the film is unnecessary and would not solve the issue.