Question

You have just completed a routine PA and lateral chest x-ray on a patient. The radiologist would like you to take another image to better demonstrate the axillary portion of the lower, posterior left RIBS of the thorax. How are you going to position your patient to best demonstrate this area?

a. Rotate the patient 45 degrees to the right
b. Rotate the patient 45 degrees to the left
c. Perform an axillary rib projection
d. Perform an AP projection

Answer 1

To better visualize the axillary portion of the lower, posterior left ribs on an X-ray, the patient should be rotated 45 degrees to the left into the left posterior oblique (LPO) position.

Step-by-step explanation:

To better demonstrate the axillary portion of the lower, posterior left ribs of the thorax, you should rotate your patient 45 degrees to the left. This positioning adjustment is known as an oblique position and is effective in radiography for isolating and providing clearer views of specific areas. By rotating the patient 45 degrees to the left, you create what is called the 'left posterior oblique' (LPO) position for the thorax, which allows the left ribs to be separated from the thoracic vertebrae and the heart, and thus provides a better view of the lower posterior ribs.

The LPO position can be particularly useful when radiographically examining the angles of the ribs, which form the most posterior extent of the thoracic cage, as well as the costal grooves where blood vessels and nerves reside. Using this position also helps to minimize the superimposition of other thoracic structures on the ribs in question, which can obscure diagnostic details.