Chest AP Lordotic
Position the Patient
- Patient steps forward 1 foot and leans back
- OR angle tube 15-20° cephalic if patient cannot lean
- Chin up
Words That Work
“Stand about one foot in front of the board, then lean backward until your upper back and shoulders touch it—like leaning against a wall while keeping your feet forward. This position moves your collarbones out of the way so we can see the tops of your lungs more clearly. Place your hands on your hips, roll your shoulders forward, and keep your chin up. When I tell you, take a deep breath, fill your lungs like two balloons, and hold it.”
AP lordotic chest positioning
Set Up the Shot
- Center here
- Central ray
- Mid-sternum
- Include this in the field
- Collimation
- Apices · Clavicles · Upper lung fields
- Set the distance
- SID
- 72"
- Check the technique
- Technique
- 110-125 kVp
- Follow facility protocols
Common Pitfalls
- •Insufficient lordotic lean (clavicles not projected above apices)
- •Apices clipped or superimposed
- •Rotation
Evaluate the Image
What should be visible?
- Apices
- Clavicles
- Upper lung fields
Does the image pass?
- ✓Clavicles projected above apices
- ✓Apices free of superimposition
- ✓Sharp lung markings
- ✓No rotation