VSUR65 VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING LABORATORY

RADIOGRAPHY OF THE HEAD, NECK, &

FRONT LIMBS IN SMALL ANIMALS

INDICATIONS FOR HEAD AND NECK

RADIOGRAPHY
• Trauma
• Neurological abnormalities
• Swelling
• Oral masses
• Epistaxis
• Chronic nasal discharges

THE HEAD

• Sternal recumbency
• the forelimbs moved out of the field of view
• collimator light crosshair should be on midline
• patient’s eyes should be parallel to each
other
• use gauze or positioning foam to straighten
the skull
Ventrodorsal View
• Dorsal recumbency
• the forelimbs moved out of the field of view,
pulled caudally
• Cotton or radiolucent material can be placed
Lateral View under the cervical region around C1–C3 to
• Lateral recumbency help extend the spine and straighten the
• Affected side close to plate head if needed
• Goal: superimpose the mandibular rami
o cotton padding or radiolucent wedge THE NECK
under nose & mandible Lateral View
• nose should be parallel to the table
• central beam to the mid cranium, cross hairs
just caudal and ventral to the eyes
Dorsoventral View

• Lateral recumbency
• Affected Place a wedge beneath the nose
• if the midcervical area appears to be
sagging, place a flat positioning foam to
keep the spine parallel to the tabletop
• forelimbs extended caudally toward the
abdomen
 VSUR65 VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING LABORATORY

Ventrodorsal View • Skull and neck pushed dorsally. Sandbag

• Palpate the vertebrae of the cervical spine can be used to keep the head in position
and place the horizontal line of the field of and out of the FOV.
view at this plane
• include the caudal portion of the skull and
caudal to approximately the third rib.

Craniocaudal View (Brachium)

INDICATIONS FOR FORELIMB

RADIOGRAPHY
• Trauma
• Swelling
• Mass
• Limping/ lameness

Lateral View (Brachium) • Dorsal recumbency

• Place affected limb beside patient’s thorax
• Extend the non-affected leg cranially
• Sandbag can be used to keep the head in
position and out of the FOV.

• Lateral recumbency, affected side down

• Pull affected limb cranially and ventrally
• Pull unaffected leg caudally, out of the field
of view
 VSUR65 VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING LABORATORY

Lateral View (Antebrachium) • unaffected limb is left in a natural, bent

position with the patient’s head placed on it
• center of the collimator beam: halfway point
between the elbow and carpal joint

• Lateral recumbency, affected side down

• Slightly flex the elbow and pull radius and
ulna cranially away from the body
• Move the unaffected leg caudally, out of the
field of view. Lateral View (Carpus)

Craniocaudal View (Antebrachium)

• Lateral recumbency, affected side down

• Slightly flex the elbow and pull the radius and
ulna cranially away from the body
• move the unaffected leg caudally, out of the
field of view.
• carpal joint should be centered on the
cassette

• Sternal recumbency
• affected limb is pulled cranially, placing the
affected antebrachium at the center of the
Dorsopalmar View (Carpus)
cassette/detector
 VSUR65 VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING LABORATORY

• Collimate to include the carpal joint and the

tips of the digits

• Lateral recumbency, affected side down Dorsopalmar View (Metacarpus)

• Slightly flex the elbow and pull the radius
and ulna cranially away from the body
• move the unaffected leg caudally, out of the
field of view.
• carpal joint should be centered on the
cassette

• Sternal recumbency, affected forelimb fully

extended
• Head is elevated, turned away from the
affected side
• Thorax remains upright
• Center the metacarpal bones to the film
Lateral View (Metacarpus)
cassette panel
• Collimate to include the distal third of the
carpal joint and the tips of the digits.
• Manus: collimation centered on the mid to
distal metacarpal bones
• Phalanges: digits are spread

• lateral recumbency, affected side down

• Slightly flex elbow
• Pull the radius and ulna cranially away from
the body
• Move unaffected leg caudally, out of the
field of view
 VSUR65 VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING LABORATORY

RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS
Bone reaction to disease process:
1. Increased opacity (productive changes)
2. Decreased opacity (osteolysis)
3. Periosteal reaction

FRACTURES
• disruption in continuity of a bone
• Classifications
o Anatomical location
▪ Proximal
▪ Diaphyseal
▪ Distal
o External wounds
▪ Closed – overlying skin remains intact
▪ Open – communication between
fracture site and a skin wound
o Extent of Bone Damage
▪ COMPLETE – continuity of the bone is
totally disrupted; marked displacement
of the fragments
▪ INCOMPLETE – partial continuity of
the bone is maintained
o Direction of Fracture Line/ Pattern
▪ COMMINUTED – several fragments;
Fracture lines communicate
▪ SEGMENTAL aka MULTIPLE – three
or more segments; the fracture lines
do not communicate
▪ AVULSION – bone fragment distracted
by the pull of the muscle tendon or
ligament that attaches to it
▪ GREENSTICK – Incomplete fracture
and the bone bends
▪ OBLIQUE – Straight diagonal line
▪ SPIRAL – one part of the bone has
been twisted at the break point
▪ TRANSVERSE – broken piece of bone
is at a right angle to the bone’s axis
o Stability
▪ STABLE – broken ends of the bone
are lined up and barely out of place;
Does NOT require any type of
realignment
▪ UNSTABLE