Chest Oblique (RAO/LAO)
Position the Patient
- Upright
- RAO: Rotate patient 45° with right side toward IR
- LAO: Rotate patient 45° with left side toward IR
- Arm nearest IR raised
- Opposite arm on hip
Words That Work
“Stand facing the board, then turn until the front of your [right/left] shoulder and chest are against it—about halfway between facing forward and standing sideways. This gives us another angle so we can separate structures that overlap on the straight-on image. Raise your right arm above your head, place your left hand on your hip, and keep your shoulders and hips turned together. When I tell you, take a deep breath and hold it.”
Oblique chest positioning (RAO/LAO)
Set Up the Shot
- Center here
- Central ray
- T7
- Include this in the field
- Collimation
- Entire lung fields
- Set the distance
- SID
- 72"
- Check the technique
- Technique
- 110-125 kVp
- Follow facility protocols
Common Pitfalls
- •Incorrect degree of rotation (not 45°)
- •Lung fields clipped
- •Arm not raised, obscuring the lung field
Evaluate the Image
What should be visible?
- RAO: Left lung
- LAO: Right lung
- Heart
- Mediastinum
Does the image pass?
- ✓Correct rotation
- ✓Lung fields not clipped
- ✓Sharp lung markings
- ✓RAO will elongate left thorax (LAO will elongate right thorax)