Week 1: Intro to Terminology & Positioning

The plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions is the:

• Sagittal Plane

• Coronal Plane

• Transverse Plane

• Lumbar Plane

Answer explanation

Transverse plane is also called the horizontal plane.

Think horizontal= hamburger slice

What is the motion when you turn your hand so that your palm is facing up?

• anterior

• pronation

• supination

• palmar

Answer explanation

Supination=palm up (Holding a bowl of soup)

Pronation: palm down, palming a palm

A longitudinal plane dividing the body into equal right and left halves

• Midsagittal

• Midlateral

• Midcoronal

• Midmedial

Answer explanation

Sagittal divides the body into left and right but Midsagittal divides the body into equal left and right parts.

Think "s" for sides and "m" for middle.

Also think of longitudinal like a hot dog slice and transverse like a hamburger slice

Erect, with the arms at the sides and palms turned forward

• Reverse Trendelenburg

• Sims position

• Radiographer position

• Anatomical position

Answer explanation

Anatomic position is how we always view a radiograph. The patient is facing the viewer with palms out.

Patient is lying on their back and oblique to the left side 45 degrees toward IR, what is the position?

• RAO

• LAO

• RPO

• LPO

Answer explanation

Lying on their back they are supine and

lying in a 45-degree angle they are obliqued

This is a LPO recumbent

What is the projection?

What is the name of the position in which the body is turned 90 degrees from a true AP/PA projection

• AP Oblique

• Lateral

• PA Oblique

• RAO

Answer explanation

Patient is lying flat on their back

• proximal

• prone

• distal

• supine

Answer explanation

Supine (laying on their spine)

Prone would be the opposite and on the stomach

Projection if patient is prone on table and turned 45 degrees to IR

• AP Oblique

• RAO

• PA Oblique

• LPO

Answer explanation

If they are prone the beam is entering the posterior surface first and exiting the anterior surface making it a PA but since they are angled 45 degrees it is considered an oblique.

The projection would be a PA Oblique.

Looking at the image, what is the position?

Patient is erect and faces the wall bucky and turns 45 degrees with right side closest to the IR. What is the position?

• RAO Erect

• AP Oblique

• RPO Erect

• PA

Answer explanation

RAO Erect= right side closest to the IR and obliqued 45 degrees and because they are upright it is considered an erect position

What is the projection?

Oblique and lateral positions are described according to the side of the body (_) to the image receptor.

• furthest

• horizontal

• left

• closest

Answer explanation

Position refers to the side closest to the body and projection refers to the beam of the xray as it passes through the patient.