Place vertically in Bucky so center of cassette is centered to the acanthion. Place base bar of calipers on back of skull and move slider bar toward patient’s face until it touches between bottom lip and tip of chin. Facial Bones: PA Waters, PA Caldwell, Lateral Facial Bones AP, Anteroposterior ID, identification PA, posteroanterior SID, source-to-image distance. Lateral cranium closest to film, sella turcica, anterior and posterior clinoids, and ethmoid sinuses. Within the collimation field denoting which side of the patient’s head is touching the Bucky. The central ray enters 1 superior and anterior to the external auditory meatus. The external occipital protuberance and the nasion should be equidistant from the film to prevent rotation. The interpupillary line is perpendicular to the film.

Place patient with side of head against Bucky. Place the base bar of the calipers on the temporal bone of one side of the head and move the slider bar toward the patient’s head so as to touch the temporal bone on the other side of the head. If the patient cannot tuck the chin sufficiently, adjust the head tilt so that the infraorbitomeatal line is perpendicular to the film and increase the tube tilt to approximately 37 degrees.

Occipital bone, petrous pyramids, foramen magnum with dorsum sellae and posterior clinoids projected through it. Tuck the chin so the orbitomeatal line is perpendicular to the film.Ĭentral ray is angled 30 degrees caudally and enters 2″ above the glabella (superciliary arch). Place patient in AP position so back of head touches Bucky. Slide moveable bar in toward the patient’s head so as to touch the glabella. These are projected below the inferior orbital rim on the 30-degree angle. Petrous pyramids appear in the lower one third of the orbit as performed in the preceding. The caudal tube angle may be increased to 30 degrees to optimally define the inferior orbital rim area. Within the collimation field on either the right side or left side of patient’s head.įrontal bone, frontal and ethmoid sinuses, greater and lesser wing of the sphenoid, superior orbital fissure, foramen rotundum, orbital margins. Using a 15-degree caudal tube tilt, central ray enters the back of the skull so as to exit the nasion. Place patient with nose and forehead against Bucky so that the orbitomeatal line is perpendicular to the film. ID should be in lower corner of collimation field. Slide the caliper arm until it rests lightly at the nasion. Place caliper base at the back of the skull.

Remove any artifacts in the desired field (e.g., earrings, dentures, hair appliances). Skull: PA Caldwell, AP Towne, Lateral Skull Technical tips are also included to aid in obtaining optimal studies. The “Additional Information” section describes other views that may be done to better demonstrate the desired anatomy. A suggested kV and mAs range is also provided for systems described in the previous section on technique. If detailed or nongrid is listed, a slower speed film screen combination is suggested, such as those found in extremity cassettes or 100-speed cassettes. If the use of a grid is listed, a fast film screen combination such as rare earth is suggested. The kV and mAs section lists the type of film screen combination used and whether the study is performed with the use of a grid or table top. For each setup in the tables, there is a picture demonstrating the position and central ray placement and another to exhibit the anatomy demonstrated by the setup. To conserve x-ray film and facilitate viewing, sometimes the film is divided so that multiple views of a body part are seen on a single film ( Fig. In E, the patient is in a left anterior oblique (LAO) position, and in F the patients is in a right anterior oblique (RAO) position, both corresponding to posteroanterior oblique projections.Įach table explains the position setup, central ray placement, tube angulation, optimal film size, and focal film distance for each view. For example, C indicates a lateral projection in a right lateral position and D indicates a lateral projection in a left lateral position. Position denotes the placement of the patient’s body, specifically the portion of the patient’s anatomy that is in contact with the Bucky.

However, when one deals with the head, neck, or body tunk, the lateral and oblique projections are further clarified by the specific “position” of the patient. In the extremities, lateral projections are similarly described by the direction of the central ray hence, mediolateral and lateromedial projections are possible. For example, A denotes an anteroposterior (AP) projection and B a posteroanterior (PA) projection. The term radiographic “projection” references the path of the central ray as it exits the x-ray tube and passes through the patient’s body.

Oblique cervical spine x ray anatomy