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Shape Distortion: The Use Of Angulation In Radiology

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The term angulation when used in radiology refers to the direction and degree of the x-ray tube when it is moved from its standard “start” position, which is always perpendicular to the to the IR in the Bucky tray. There are countless projections that utilize tube angulation for various reasons. Frequently, projections use angulation to avoid the superimposition of different anatomic structures. The reason angulation is used is to cause a controlled or expected amount of shape distortion. Shape distortion is altering the typical anatomic layout of a structure and usually involves the elongation or foreshortening of a structure. The direction and degree of angulation directly influence the amount of shape distortion seen on a radiograph. Alignment of the anatomical part can also affect the image. Shape distortion is when an image appears either longer or shorter based on the way it is positioned in relation to both the central ray and the image receptor; foreshortening is when the object appears shorter than it is in reality, while elongation is when the object appears longer than it truly is. When imaging a part, the long axis is intended to be placed perpendicularly to the central ray and parallel to the image receptor. Distortion happens when either the part or the central ray/image receptor are placed incorrectly. In addition, distortion can also occur due to standard divergence of the beam. The central …show more content…

Although, size and shape distortions are initially sound quite complicated, once a radiographer has a basic understand of the elements that affect each factor, it can be either minimized or used to improved image quality. Regardless of the situation, a radiographer must understand distortion, as it is a component that will be faced every day in the field of

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