Coccyx Lateral
Position the Patient
- Lateral recumbent
- Knees flexed
- Arms forward
- Mid-coronal plane centered to IR
Words That Work
“Lie on your side with your knees comfortably bent and your arms forward. Keep your top shoulder directly over your bottom shoulder and your top hip directly over your bottom hip—like stacking building blocks. I’ll make a small adjustment to get a true side view of your tailbone. Breathe all the way out and hold it.”
Lateral coccyx positioning
Set Up the Shot
- Center here
- Central ray
- 3–4" posterior to ASIS; 2" inferior to sacrum
- Include this in the field
- Collimation
- Coccyx region
- Set the distance
- SID
- 40"
- Check the technique
- Technique
- 80-90 kVp
- Follow facility protocols
Common Pitfalls
- •Rotation
- •Coccyx not clearly visualized
- •Posterior margins not sharp
Evaluate the Image
What should be visible?
- Coccyx in profile
- Distal sacrum
Does the image pass?
- ✓Coccyx clearly visualized
- ✓No rotation (femoral heads superimposed)
- ✓Sharp posterior margins