Babeh Edi

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Spine

Cervical 3-7 AP

Indications for imaging
Trauma, pain, arthritis,

Anatomy Demonstrated
Cervical vertebrae 3 to 7, vertebral bodies, spinous processes and intervertebral spaces.

Cervical 3-7 AP Anatomy
Meschan, I. 1955 An Atlas of Normal Radiographic Anatomy Saunders, London

Basic Patient Position
The patient stands erect in the AP position median saggital plane at 90 degrees to the film with the patients midline in line with the center of the bucky, feet slightly apart to aid stability, coronal plane parallel to the film.
The chin is raised until a imaginary line from the upper lip to the external occipital protuberance is horizontal.

Cervical 3-7 AP Patient Position
Meschan, I. 1955 An Atlas of Normal Radiographic Anatomy Saunders, London

Radiation protection
There are many local rules for gonad protection however the following should be taken into account.
In males and females direct lead rubber gonad protection can be applied at all times, avoid the breast tissue particularly in young females, collimate to prevent irradiation of the eyes.

Central Ray
The horizontal central ray is centered to the sternal notch then angled cranially to the level of the cricothyroid cartilage in the midline.
Exposure is made on suspended expiration.

Exposure Factors

Kv	mAS	FFD (cm)	Grid	Focus	AEC	Cassette
80	5	100	Yes	Broad	Yes	18 x 24 cm

Evaluation of the Image
ID and markers must be present and correct in the appropriate area of the film
Evidence of collimation on four sides equally around the centering point.
Optimal exposure should penetrate all the bone structures and contrast should be low enough to visualise fully the bone and soft tissue structures.
Limits of the examination, superiorly the upper border of C3, inferiorly the upper border of T2, laterally the skin margins.
The mandible and occiput should be superimposed, the intervertebral joint spaces should be visible, the spinous processes should be projected centrally over the vertebral bodies.