Penetration
To ensure adequate penetration, the thoracic spine should be visible.
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To ensure adequate penetration, the thoracic spine should be visible.
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To ensure proper inflation, the 6th rib should be visible anteriorly and the 10th rib posteriorly.
Upper Airway/Trachea – Lung Anatomy
Anterior (left) and posterior (right) view of the lungs.
Upper Airway/Trachea
In a normal chest x-ray the mediastinum and diaphragm are visible because of radio density differences (i.e. there is an interface). A loss of normally appearing interfaces usually results from processes in adjacent lung tissue (i.e. consolidation, atelectasis, mass, etc.) The interface loss helps you localize the disease to a specific part of the lung.
The pathological process can be localized in the right upper lobe when the interface of the SVC and the right superior mediastinum is lost (“Silhouette” sign).
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The pathological process can be localized in the right middle lobe, when the right heart border interface is lost (“Silhouette” sign).