SMALLANIMAL

SMALL ANIMAL
RADIOGRAPHICPOSITIONING
RADIOGRAPHIC POSITIONING

GARRY D. LASAGA
Rulesin
Rules inPositioning
Positioning

 Place the area of interest as close to the cassette as

 Place the area of interest as close to the cassette as
possible inin order
possible order toto minimize
minimize magnification
magnification and
and
blurring.
blurring.
 Ensure that the central ray of the primary beam is
 Ensure that the central ray of the primary beam is
perpendicular toto the
perpendicular the film
film otherwise
otherwise distortion
distortion will
will
occur.
occur.
Rulesin
Rules inPositioning
Positioning

 Collimate the beam to the smallest area possible to

 Collimate the beam to the smallest area possible to
reducethe
reduce theamount
amountofofscattered
scatteredradiation
radiationproduced.
produced.
 ItItisisusually
usuallynecessary
necessarytototake
taketwo
twoviews
viewsatatright
rightangles
angles


totoeach
eachother
otherininorder
ordertotovisualize
visualizethe
thearea
areafully.
fully.
PositioningAids
Positioning Aids

 TROUGHS – radiolucent plastic or foam filled troughs

 TROUGHS – radiolucent plastic or foam filled troughs
areessential
are essentialfor
forrestraining
restraininganimals
animalson ontheir
theirbacks.
backs.
 FOAM WEDGES – when lateral views are required,
 FOAM WEDGES – when lateral views are required,
these are
these are placed
placed under
under the
the chest,
chest, skull,
skull, oror spine
spine toto
preventrotation;
prevent rotation;also
alsouseful
usefulfor
forpositioning
positioninglimbs.
limbs.
PositioningAids
Positioning Aids

 SANDBAGS – should be loosely filled with sand so

 SANDBAGS – should be loosely filled with sand so
that they
that they can
can be
be folded
folded over
over limbs;
limbs; they
they are
are radio-
radio-
opaquesososhould
opaque shouldbe
bekept
keptclear
clearofofthe
theprimary
primarybeam.
beam.
 TIES – can be looped around limbs and may be tied to
 TIES – can be looped around limbs and may be tied to
thetable
the tableororwrapped
wrappedaround
aroundsandbags.
sandbags.
 WOODEN BLOCKS –– can can be be used
used toto raise
raise the
the
 WOODEN BLOCKS
cassettetotothe
cassette thearea
areaofofinterest.
interest.
 Terminology
Terminology
 Each radiographic projection is named by describing
 Each radiographic projection is named by describing
thepoint
the pointofofentry
entryand
andthe
thepoint
pointofofexit
exitofofthe
the
beam.
beam.
 Dorsoventral (DV) view of the chest is where the
 Dorsoventral (DV) view of the chest is where the
x-ray beam
x-ray beam enters
enters through
through the
the spine
spine (dorsal)
(dorsal) and
and
emergesthrough
emerges throughthe
thesternum
sternum(ventral).
(ventral).
 Terminology
Terminology
 Dorsal recumbency describes an animal lying on its
 Dorsal recumbency describes an animal lying on its
back.
back.
 Sternal/ventral recumbency describes the
 Sternal/ventral recumbency describes the
crouchingposition.
crouching position.
Positionsfor
Positions forCommon
CommonViews
Views
(THORAX)
(THORAX)
 Positioning for Right Lateral
Fig 2

*** The arrows are of no significance

Fig 5

Ventrodorsal positioning of rabbit

DORSOVENTRAL POSITION
Positionsfor
Positions forCommon
CommonViews
Views
(ABDOMEN)
(ABDOMEN)
– –

Abdomen – positioning - ; LEFT lateral view of abdomen

Lateral Feline Upper Abdomen with Hepatomegaly (L) Liver
Lateral Ferret abdomen (K) Kidney
Ventrodorsal (VD)
Plain abdominal radiography relies on fat, air & faeces to provide an indication of where organs are.
Scapula (Lateral)
Elbow: mediolateral view
Elbow craniocaudal view sternal recumbency
Elbow – positioning Craniocaudal view – lateral recumbency using a
horizontal beam
Ventrodorsal Pelvis
Lateral
Frog - legged Pelvis
Craniocaudal Femur Lateral Femur
Stifle – Craniocaudal & Lateral
Craniocaudal Tibia
Lateral Tibia
Craniocaudal & Lateral Hock
Positionsfor
Positions forCommon
CommonViews
Views
(VertebralColumn)
(Vertebral Column)
Series of Radiographs
Series of Radiographs
 Cervical C1-C6
 Cervical C1-C6
 Cervicothoracic C6-T3
 Cervicothoracic C6-T3
 Thoracic T3-T11
 Thoracic T3-T11
 Thoracolumbar T11-L3
 Thoracolumbar T11-L3
 Lumbar L1-L7
 Lumbar L1-L7
 Sacral & caudal (coccygeal) L6-CD 4
 Sacral & caudal (coccygeal) L6-CD 4
LATERAL SPINE
VENTRODORSAL SPINE
Positionsfor
Positions forCommon
CommonViews
Views
(Skull)
(Skull)
Lateral (Skull)
DORSOVENTRAL POSITION

Dorsoventral Skull
Ventrodorsal Skull
Intra-Oral View
Open Mouth Tympanic Bullae View