Question

You are about to examine a trauma patient who is unable to hyperextend the neck far enough to place the mento-meatal line perpendicular to the plane of the IR. How should the acanthioparietal projection be modified for this patient?

a) Use a lateral cervical spine projection instead
b) Tilt the head slightly to achieve the desired positioning
c) Proceed with the standard acanthioparietal projection
d) Use a swimmers lateral cervical spine projection

Answer 1

For a trauma patient who cannot hyperextend the neck for an acanthioparietal projection, a swimmer's lateral cervical spine projection is the appropriate modification.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a trauma patient is unable to hyperextend the neck far enough to place the mento-meatal line perpendicular to the plane of the IR, the acanthioparietal projection should be modified by using a swimmer's lateral cervical spine projection. This alternative projection is designed to visualize the cervicothoracic junction when standard projections are not possible due to limited movement or injury. It involves having the patient elevate one arm above the head while the other arm is kept down, which helps in separating the shoulders vertically and allows for better visualization of the cervical spine