Anatomical Terms and

Patient Positioning

Descriptions pertinent to radiology

professionals.

Diagnostic Medicine

Standards

12) Review directions, planes, and sections of the body in order to perform diagnostic imaging procedures.

Unit III 2

Objectives

Review directional terms given to patients in reference to their bodies by practicing positioning of patients and their extremities.

Unit III 3

Unit III 4

Anatomical position

– Erect, face forward, feet together, arms at sides with palms forward

Anatomic Terminology

Unit III 5

Unit III 6

Unit III 7

Body Position Terms

Describe the overall placement of the body

– Erect "upright"

Position when the sagittal and coronal planes of the body are perpendicular to the horizon

– Recumbent "lying down"

Position when the transverse plane of the body is perpendicular to the horizon

Unit III 8

Body Position Terms

decubitus vs. recumbent

– general meanings are the

same "LYING DOWN"

– but in radiography,

decubitus has a special

meaning

– DECUBITUS

patient is lying down &

the x-ray beam is

parallel to the horizon

Unit III 9

Erect Positions

Surface of body closest to the film used to give a more specific description

Examples:– Posterior erect -- patient

is standing with the posterior surface of the body next to the cassette

– Left lateral erect --patient is standing with the left side of the body next to the cassette

Left lateral erect position

Unit III 10

Unit III 11

Recumbent Positions

Supine (posterior recumbent

position)

– Lying down on the back

Prone

(anterior recumbent position)

– Lying face down

xx lateral recumbent– lying down on the xx side

Unit III 12

Unit III 13

Unit III 14

Unit III 15

Decubitus Positions

Ventral decubitus

– patient is prone & a horizontal beam is used

Dorsal decubitus

– patient is supine & a horizontal beam is used

Left lateral decubitus

– patient lying on the left lateral side & a horizontal beam is used

Unit III 16

Oblique (Erect or Recumbent)

Position when the body is rotated so that the MS plane is neither ^ nor to the film but at an angle

Exact position is indicated by the surface closest to the film and the angle of rotation

May be erect or recumbent

abbreviations:– RPO, LPO, RAO, LAO 45° RPO

Unit III 17

Unit III 18

PROJECTION Refers to the path the

beam takes through partAnteroposterior projection

(AP)Beam enters the front surface

and exits the back surface of the part

Posteroanterior projection (PA)Beam enters the back and

exits the front of the part

AP projection in supine position

PA projection in prone position

Unit III 19

Lateral Projections

Normally the positioning terminology is used rather than projection

– torso and head

Right to left lateral projection

Left to right lateral projection

– extremities

Mediolateral projection

Lateromedial projection L lateral erect positionR to L lateral projection

Unit III 20

Oblique Projections

Normally the positioning terminology is used

– example

RPO position = right anterior to right posterior projection (oblique AP)

Activity

Grab your ipad/cpu to complete your Radiology timeline.

Don’t forget to include advantages and disadvantages of each!

30 minutes.

Unit III 21

Unit III 22

Plane

– Flat surface passed through the body or a portion of the body

Longitudinal planes

– Coronal

– Sagittal

Horizontal plane

– Transverse

co

ron

al

Anatomic Terminology

Unit III 23

Directional Termsanterior posterior lateral

po

ste

rio

r

cephalad

cephalic

superior

cranial

inferior

caudal

caudadmedial

lateral proximal

distal

Unit III 24

Joint Movement TermsABDUCT vs. ADDUCT

Unit III 25

Joint Movement Terms

FLEXION vs. EXTENSION

flexion

extension

hyperextend

flexion

dorsiflexion

plantar

flexionneutral

extend

Unit III 26

Joint Movement Terms

INVERSION vs. EVERSION

turn inward or medially turn outward or laterally

Unit III 27

Joint Movement TermsPRONATION vs. SUPINATION

place on

backplace on

front

Unit III 28

Joint Movement Terms

ROTATION vs. CIRCUMDUCTION

pivot

circle