Breathing Technique for Demonstration of the Scapula

Introduction

The breathing technique is employed where there is benifit in bluring soft tissues to provide improved demonstration of bony anatomy. Breathing technique applied to the AP shoulder projection is rarely employed but can be useful on the rare occasion when other plain film projections and techniques have failed.

Case 1

This is an AP shoulder projection image produced with CR equipment. The AP shoulder radiography was repeated using DR and breathing technique.

The patient was unable to rotate further. A long exposure time of 0.8 seconds (0.8 seconds was the maximum exposure time available with this DR system) was employed and the patient was breathing during the exposure- this did achieve some bluring (movement unsharpness) of the lung markings resulting in improved demonstration of the scapula. The fractured scapula was demonstrated clearly with additional evidence of the fracture extending up towards the glenoid (arrowed). In retrospect, this was also demonstrated on the original CR AP shoulder image. mattress artifact noted

Case 2

	This 22 year old male presented to the Emergency Department with left shoulder pain following a fall onto an outstretched hand. He was referred for left shoulder radiography. The AP shoulder projection image revealed no bony abnormality.
	The lateral projection of the shoulder similarly revealed no bony abnormality.
	The AP shoulder projection was repeated with a 1 second exposure in an attempt to provide improved demonstration of the medial aspect of the scapula. There was some improvement in the demonstration of the medial aspect of the scapula. No fracture was demonstrated.

...back to the wikiradiography home page
... back the Applied Radiography home page