The term angulation when used in radiology refers to the direction and degree the X-ray tube is moved from its normal “start” position, which is always perpendicular to the to the IR in the Bucky tray. There are many projections that utilize tube angulation for various reasons. Many use it to avoid the superimposition of different anatomic structures. The reason angulation is used is to cause a controlled or expected amount of shape distortion. Shape distortion is altering the normal anatomic layout of a structure and using involves the elongation or foreshortening of a structure. The direction and degree of angulation directly influence the amount of shape distortion seen on a radiograph. Alignment of the anatomical part can also affect the
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These types of changes run along the long axis of the body. They are termed cephalad when aimed towards the patient’s head and caudad when aimed towards the patient’s feet. These angles can be used to elongate or foreshorten parts of the anatomy that are the necessary focus of a radiographic study. Some examples include the tangential calcaneus and axial cranium projections. These directional changes of the tube can be very beneficial when trying to diagnose certain fractures, blastomas, and other assorted pathologies that would have been difficult to see on a radiograph with standard perpendicular CR …show more content…
All anatomy lies differently within each patient. It is our job as future radiographers to know more or less where certain anatomy lies and for the most part, how they lay within the body. Some bones and structures need to be distorted on the radiograph so we can properly obtain a diagnosis and see the anatomy perfectly. One example would be of the sacrum and coccyx. A perfectly perpendicular AP projection of the sacrum would not show the sacrum appropriately and a proper diagnosis wouldn’t be obtained. So due to the way the sacrum lies in the body, a 15 degree cephalad angle of the tube is necessary to properly visualize the sacrum and achieve an accurate diagnosis. That 15 degree tube angle elongates one part of the sacrum while foreshortening a portion of the sacrum also, which lays the sacrum as parallel as we can get to the IR. Whereas the way the coccyx lies in the body, a 10 degree caudad angle of the tube is necessary to distort the coccyx just enough to obtain the image we need. Another way that shape distortion of an image can be beneficial to the radiographer, would be in certain trauma cases. When a radiologic technologist receives a patient severely injured, precautions must be taken. The patient’s safety is our top priority no matter what, and we must try our best to not further injure them in the process of finding out their injury. With that being said, with
These types of changes run along the long axis of the body. They are termed cephalad when aimed towards the patient’s head and caudad when aimed towards the patient’s feet. These angles can be used to elongate or foreshorten parts of the anatomy that are the necessary focus of a radiographic study. Some examples include the tangential calcaneus and axial cranium projections. These directional changes of the tube can be very beneficial when trying to diagnose certain fractures, blastomas, and other assorted pathologies that would have been difficult to see on a radiograph with standard perpendicular CR …show more content…
All anatomy lies differently within each patient. It is our job as future radiographers to know more or less where certain anatomy lies and for the most part, how they lay within the body. Some bones and structures need to be distorted on the radiograph so we can properly obtain a diagnosis and see the anatomy perfectly. One example would be of the sacrum and coccyx. A perfectly perpendicular AP projection of the sacrum would not show the sacrum appropriately and a proper diagnosis wouldn’t be obtained. So due to the way the sacrum lies in the body, a 15 degree cephalad angle of the tube is necessary to properly visualize the sacrum and achieve an accurate diagnosis. That 15 degree tube angle elongates one part of the sacrum while foreshortening a portion of the sacrum also, which lays the sacrum as parallel as we can get to the IR. Whereas the way the coccyx lies in the body, a 10 degree caudad angle of the tube is necessary to distort the coccyx just enough to obtain the image we need. Another way that shape distortion of an image can be beneficial to the radiographer, would be in certain trauma cases. When a radiologic technologist receives a patient severely injured, precautions must be taken. The patient’s safety is our top priority no matter what, and we must try our best to not further injure them in the process of finding out their injury. With that being said, with