ICM-II: CHEST, case 1

TYPE-upright frontal chest radiograph (x-ray)--how do we know for SURE that this is an UPRIGHT image?

LOOK for the air-fluid level in the stomach! This will only be visible if the patient is upright. The flat bottom of the gastric air bubble (outlined in red) is a sure sign that the patient was upright when the image was taken. The only other way to know is if the image has a label (which this one does not). However, if the stomach does not contain either air or fluid (which can often happen), then even if the patient is upright, you will not see an air-fluid level!

The term 'frontal', just tells you that the image is either AP or PA, but not LATERAL. The term 'CR' refers to 'computed radiography' and means that the image was acquired digitally rather than on film.