I. GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF RADIOGRAPHIC POSITIONING

Radiographic Positioning

Refers to the study of patient positioning to radiographically demonstrate or visualize body parts on image receptors (IR).

Radiography

The production of radiographs and/or other forms of radiographic images.

Radiograph

• A film or other base material containing a processed image of an anatomical part of a patient as produced by action of x-rays on an image receptor. 

• The term radiograph includes the film and the image

Image Receptor

• The device that captures the radiographic image that exits the patient

• Refers to both film-screen cassettes and digital acquisition 

X-ray film

Specifically refers to the physical piece of material on which a latent image is stored

Central ray

• Refers to the center-most portion of the x-ray beam emitted from the x-ray tube; 

• The portion of the x-ray beam that has the least divergence.

Conventional film-source technology, Digital technology

METHODS OF ACQUIRING & STORING X-RAY IMAGES

Conventional film-source technolog

Involves chemical processing and film libraries

Digital technology

Uses computers and x-ray receptors to acquire and process images

Hypersthenic

largest/heaviest

Sthenic

average

Hyposthenic

slender

Asthenic

most slender