Table: Positioning For Radiogrpahy

Question 1

View: Lateral

Answer 1

Beam goes from the machine to the side (lateral) of the area and then onto the plate.
“Left” or “right” signify the part of the animal closest to the plate

Examples:
Left lateral thorax
Right lateral head
Left lateral abdomen

Question 2

View: Latero-medial

Answer 2

Beam goes from the machine to the outside of the limb (lateral) and exits through the inside of the limb (medial) and onto the plate

Examples:
Lateromedial carpus (horses)
Lateromedial stifle (horses)

Question 3

View: Medio-lateral

Answer 3

Beam goes from the machine to the outside of the limb (lateral) and exits through the inside of the limb (medial) and onto the plate

Examples:
Medio lateral elbow (dogs)
Medio lateral digits (dogs)
Medio lateral stifle (dogs)

Question 4

View: Dorso-ventral

Answer 4

Beam goes from the top of the cavity (dorsum of the animal) to the bottom of the cavity (ventral of the animal) and onto the plate

Examples:
Dorsoventral thorax (dogs)

Question 5

View: Ventro-dorsal

Answer 5

Beam goes in opposite direction to dorsoventral;
From the ventral part of the animal to the dorsal part which is the part that will be closest to the radiographic plate

Examples:
Ventro-dorsal pelvis (dogs)

Question 6

View: Cranio-caudal

Answer 6

Beam goes from the front part of the upper limb (cranial) to the back part (caudal) of the upper limb

Examples:
Cranio caudal view

Question 7

View: Caudo-cranial

Answer 7

Beam goes from the back (caudal) to the front of the limb (cranial)

Examples:
Caudo cranial stifle

Question 8

View: Dorso-palmar/plantar

Answer 8

Beam goes from the front of the limb to the back of the limb (palmar for forelimbs and plantar for hindlimbs)

Essentially cranio-caudal, but in limbs distally to carpus and hock that we talk about dorsal and not cranial and palmar not ventral

Examples:
Dorsopalmar of fetlock (horses)
Dorsoplantar of hock (horses)

Question 9

View: Palmaro/plantaro-dorsal

Answer 9

Beam goes from the back of the limb (palmaro/plantaro) to the front of the limb (dorsal)

Examples:
Palmaro-dorsal navicular (horses)

Question 10

View: Obliques

Answer 10

Dorso-lateral-palmaro-medial oblique (DLPMO)

Dorso-medial-palmaro-lateral (DMPLO)

First part is where the beam hits the patient, and the last part is where it exits the patient.
Hence the last part is closest to the plate

Examples:
DMPLO fetlock (horses)
DLPMO hock (horses)