Bony Thorax

True to the schedule, we attacked the bony thorax. What I mean to say is I finally got the chance to do some real positioning. It started with Posterior-Anterior Chest and the corresponding left lateral. The instructor showed us some very bad chest x-rays. Seriously rotated or foreshortened, they were obviously of very little diagnostic value.

I like the very small lab ratio: one instructor to eight students. I really like this aspect of the program. The small ratio really allows for high interaction between the instructor and student.

At the start of second period I began by working the various locks getting used to the tube in that lab.

Our instructor walked in. “Since you're at the tube, P-F, why don't you position for an A-P stretcher chest. I did the well, considering I'd not been able to use my notes. I placed the cassette behind the “patient” and pointed the tube towards the cassette with a SID of 72 inches. I felt pretty good about it. I didn't put the requisite angle on the tube though.

The instructor corrected me. “What you've done is a good start. But you need to provide an angle that matches that of the patients sternum. I learned that an unintentional lordotic projection with out diagnostic value would have resulted.

Mind you, we're so green that every correction is a learning opportunity, And is offered with much patience.

Today we reviewed the anatomy of the bony thorax.