Who doesn’t love a little veterinary x-ray positioning and directional terminology??
We use many of these terms daily, and so they often become second nature to us. But it’s never a bad thing to review the terminology every now and then to make sure we understand what they mean (or where they mean) and then apply them correctly!
LATERAL
The X-ray entered from the side, away from the midline of the patient’s body. So, the right lateral view means the patient needs to be lying on their right side.
VENTRAL
This refers to the lower surface of the patient opposite the back. The X-ray passes through the belly to the back surface.
DORSAL
This refers to the back or the upper surface of the patient. i.e. opposite the belly.
DORSOVENTRAL
This includes the back and the belly of the patient, where the X-ray passes from the back surface to the belly.
PROXIMAL
This term means closer to the point of origin or closer to the midline of the patient.
DISTAL
This means away from the midline of the patient or referring to a structure that is located further from the point of origin.
ROSTRAL
This refers to a structure located closer to the nostrils from any point in the head.
CRANIAL
This refers to any structure closer to the patient’s head from any part of the body.
CAUDAL
This refers to a structure that is closer to the patient’s tail than any part of the body.
PLANTAR
This refers to the caudal surface of the patient’s hind limb, distal to the tarsus.
PALMER
This refers to the caudal surface of the forelimb distal to the carpus.
CRANIOCAUDAL
This refers to the X-ray beam passing from the cranial surface of the patient to the caudal surface of a structure. So anterior to posterior.
CAUDOCRANIAL
This is where the X-ray beam passes from the caudal surface to the cranial surface of a structure. So posterior to anterior.
DORSOPALMER
This refers to views that are dorsal of the campus where the X-ray beam passes from the dorsal direction to the palmer surface of the forelimb. So going anterior to posterior.
PALMER DORSAL
Views distal to the campus, the X-ray beam passes from the palmer surface of the forelimb to the dorsal surface of the body; so posterior to anterior.
DORSOPLANTAR
Views distal to the tarsus, the X-ray beam passes from the dorsal direction to the plantar surface of the handling; anterior to posterior.
PLANTARDORSAL
Views distal to the tarsus, the X-ray beam passes from the plantar surface of the forelimb towards the dorsal surface of the body; posterior to anterior.
OBLIQUE
When the X-ray is taken at an angle other than 90 degrees to the area of interest
If you have any questions for Mel, ask them in the Comments section below.
