Spine
Hints in General
•Topogram: Lateral, 512 mm for thoracic and lumbar spine and 256 mm for the
•Patient positioning for thoracic and lumbar spine studies:
Patient lying in supine position, arms positioned comfortably above the head in the
•Patient positioning for cervical spine studies: Patient lying in supine position, hyperextend neck slightly, secure head well in head holder.
–Patient respiratory instruction: do not breathe, do not swallow.
Any possible injuries to the spinal column should be determined before beginning the examination and taken into account when repositioning the patient.
Hints
•In case of 3D study only, images should be recon- structed with at least 50% overlap in image recon- struction and kernel B20s.
•In case of SSD study only, mAs value can be reduced by 50%. Use kernel B20s and 50% overlap in image reconstruction.
•For lumbar studies, place a cushion under the patient’s knees. This will reduce the curve in the spine and also make the patient more comfortable.
