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Lumbar Spine AP
Position the Patient
- Supine
- Knees flexed to reduce lordosis
- Mid-sagittal plane centered to IR
Words That Work
“Lie on your back and bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the table. Let your lower back relax and settle against the table—like gently pressing your beltline into the mattress. This helps open the spaces in your lower spine and makes the position more comfortable. Take a breath in, breathe all the way out, and hold still.”
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AP lumbar spine positioning
Set Up the Shot
- Center here
- Central ray
- Iliac crest
- Include this in the field
- Collimation
- T12–S1
- Set the distance
- SID
- 40"
- Check the technique
- Technique
- 75-85 kVp
- Follow facility protocols
Common Pitfalls
- •Knees not flexed (lordosis not reduced)
- •Rotation (spinous processes not centered)
- •Entire lumbar spine not included (T12-S1)
Evaluate the Image
What should be visible?
- T12–S1 vertebrae
- Intervertebral disk spaces
Does the image pass?
- ✓Spinous processes centered
- ✓No rotation (symmetry of transverse processes, SI joints, and sacrum)
- ✓Entire lumbar spine included