A left lateral sternal projection with poor positioning demonstrates the superior heart shadow extending beyond the sternum, into the anteriorly located lung. How should the patient be repositioned for an optimal projection to be obtained?
1)Rotate the left thorax posteriorly.
2)Position the arms behind the patient's back.
3)Take the exposure on deep inspiration.
4)Rotate the right thorax anteriorly.
A) 1 only
B) 1 and 4 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 3 and 4 only
E) 4 only

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option 1 (rotate the left thorax posteriorly) and option 4 (rotate the right thorax anteriorly) both involve adjusting the positioning of the patient to improve the visualization of the heart shadow. By rotating the thorax in either direction, the heart can be brought into a more anterior position, which will prevent it from extending into the lung field. Option 2 (position the arms behind the patient's back) is not likely to have an impact on the visualization of the heart shadow. Option 3 (take the exposure on deep inspiration) may be helpful in some cases, but it is not directly related to the problem of the heart shadow extending too far laterally.

A Left Lateral Sternal Projection with Poor Positioning Demonstrates the Superior