Directional Terms

Cranial: It describes the part of the neck, trunk and tail positioned towards the head from any given point. It also describes aspects of the limb facing the head and above the carpal and tarsal joints.

Rostral: It describes the parts of the head positioned towards nares from any given point on the head, e.g., nostrils are rostral to the eyes.

Caudal: Parts of the head, neck and trunk positioned towards the tail from any given point, and aspects of the limbs facing tail but proximal to the carpal and tarsal joints.

Palmar: It replaces caudal in the forelimb from the carpal joint distally.           

Plantar: It replaces caudal in the hind limb from the tarsal joint distally.

Dorsal: It describes the following:

i) Upper aspects of the head, neck, trunk and tail, also meaning 

towards the vertebrae or back.

ii) Aspects of the limb from the carpal or the tarsal joint distally.

Ventral: Lower aspects of the head, neck, trunk and tail, also means towards lower aspects of animal.                                                

In a view when only two directional terms are used, standard listing is done e.g., ventrodorsal, dorsopalmar etc. In ventrodorsal term, it is clear that central ray enters from the ventral side to exit form the dorsal side; and so on.

Abbreviations of directional terms to describe radiographic views (recommended by the nomenclature committee of the American College of Veterinary Radiologists).

 

Directional term

 

Abbreviation

  

Directional term      

 

Abbreviation

Left

 

Le

 

Medial

 

M

 

Right Dorsal

Rt D

Lateral Proximal

 

L Pr

 

Ventral

 

V

 

Distal

 

Di

 

Cranial

 

Cr

 

Palmar

 

Pa

 

Rostral

 

R

 

Plantar

 

Pl

 

Caudal

 

Cd

 

Oblique

 

0

 

Radiographic Views

Terms used in discussing the various radiographic projections describe the manner in which the x-ray beam passes through the animal. In an anterior-posterior (AP) view, the x-ray beam enters the leg anteriorly and exits posteriorly before striking the film. The posterior-anterior (PA) view is seldom used except in a PA view of the stifle joint or shoulder joint. The lateral view is made with the beam directed either lateral-medial or medial-lateral. Usually it is more conve­nient to make the exposure with the x-ray machine lateral and the cassette medial.

Recommended Views for Radiographic Examination of the Horse:

 

Anatomical area

 

 

Recommended view

Foot

 

1. AP

2. Lateral

 

Third phalanx

 

1. AP (60°)

2. AP (Standing on film)

3. Lateral

Navicular

 

1. AP (60°)

2. AP (30°)

3. Lateral

4. Tangential view (Proximal-distal)

Fetlock joint (Proximal sesamoids)

 

1. AP

2. Lateral, extended

3. Lateral, flexed

4. Medial oblique

5. Lateral oblique

Metacarpals (Metatarsals)

 

1. AP

2. Lateral

3. Medial oblique

4. Lateral oblique

Carpus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. AP

2. Lateral, extended

3. Lateral, flexed

4. Medial oblique

5. Lateral oblique

6. Tangential view-distal radius

7. Tangential view-proximal row carpal bones

8. Tangential view-distal row carpal bones

Elbow

1. AP

2. Lateral (leg extended cranially)

Shoulder

1. PA (obliques)

2. Lateral (through chest)

Hock

1. AP

2. Lateral

3. Medial oblique

4. Lateral oblique

Stifle

1. PA (technique for proximal
 tibia)

2. PA (technique for distal femur)

3. Lateral

4. Tangential view (patella)

Hip

1. VD, frog-leg

2. VD of each hip joint   Top         

                                                                                                       

    
 

Last Updated May 2006

Copyright @ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt