Patient Poisitioning

Transverse

divides the body into cranial/caudal portions

Median

divides the body into left/right portions

Dorsal

divides the body into anterior/posterior portions.

Medial (M)

nearer to the midpoint

Lateral (L)

nearer to the outside

Cranial (Cr)

toward the head; also for limb proximal to the carpus and tarsus

Caudal (Cd)

toward the tail; also for limbs proximal to the carpus and tarsus

Dorsal (D)

toward the back; also cranial portion of limb distal to carpus and tarsus

Ventral (V)

toward the abdomen

Palmar (Pa)

caudal portion of pectoral limb from carpus distally

Plantar (Pl)

caudal portion of pelvic limb from tarsus distally

Oblique (O)

less than 90 degrees to axis; could be in a medial or lateral direction (used in dental and large animal radiography for limbs

Rostral (R)

Used for the head; toward the nares

Distal (Di)

a part of the body that is farther away from the center of the body than another part.

Lateral radiographs

the cranial part of the animal is to your left

Proximal (Pr)

situated nearer to the center of the body or the point of attachment

Dorsoventral/ventrodorsal

the cranial part of the animal points up, and the animals left side is on your right

Lateromedial/mediolateral or oblique

the proximal part of the limb points up, and the cranial or dorsal aspect of the limb is to your left

DP/PD/CrCd/CdCr

•the proximal end of the extremity is at the top of the monitor.