How can you tell the difference between VD and DV?

A DV view is less stressful, and should be used over the VD view. On DV views, the diaphragm appears as a single, smooth, “hump”, and the caudal lung lobes are narrow and taper. The caudal pulmonary arteries and veins are better visualized due to better caudal lung lobe inflation and magnification.

Where should the beam be centered for a thoracic radiograph of a dog?

Check the anatomical boundaries The area cranial to the thoracic inlet (the manubrium) to half way between the xiphoid process and the last rib to include the caudal tips of the lungs. The crosshairs of the beam should be centered over the heart just behind the scapula and 1/3 of the way up from the sternum.

How can you tell if a lateral lumbar spine film is truly lateral or not?

For lateral projections, use superimposition of the transverse processes throughout the lumbar spine to determine if a patient is in a true lateral position. The transverse processes appear as Nike swooshes and should be superimposed over each other (Figure 1). The wings of the ilia will also be superimposed.

What is the patient position for a DV thoracic radiograph?

Ventrodorsal Images For the ventrodorsal view, the patient should be placed in dorsal recumbency. Using a V-trough helps keep the patient’s spine and sternum aligned. The thoracic limbs are taped together evenly and pulled forward with the patient’s muzzle placed between the limbs (Figure 3).

How can you determine if positioning is correct for a lateral pelvic film?

For a lateral image of the pelvis, the patient is positioned on the table with the right side down for a right lateral image and left side down for a left lateral image. For cases, such as pelvic fractures or lameness, the side of concern should be the dependent side, which is placed closest to the table.

What is radiopaque?

Definition of radiopaque : being opaque to various forms of radiation (such as X-rays)

What is the difference between opaque and radiopaque?

Radiopaque: Opaque to one or another form of radiation, such as X-rays. Radiopaque objects block radiation rather than allow it to pass through. Metal, for instance, is radiopaque, so metal objects that a patient may have swallowed are visible on X-rays.

Where do you center the beam for the thorax?

The centre of the X-ray beam is positioned at the caudal border of the scapula (around the level of the fifth rib) and midway between the sternum and the vertebral bodies. The picture should include the thoracic inlet and the entire diaphragm.

What is radiographic positioning?

Radiographic positioning refers to the way the body is placed, we call this general body position, or to the part of the body that’s the closest to the image receptor, and we call this specific body position.

What is loss of normal lumbar lordosis?

Flatback = the loss of the normal lumbar lordosis. Syndrome = a collection of symptoms that occur together. Flatback syndrome is a condition in which the lower spine loses some of its normal curvature. It is a type of sagittal imbalance, or front-to-back imbalance in the spine.