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In this lecture from This is Why, Dr. Busti will teach you how to quickly and confidently tell AP vs PA chest X-ray (CXR) views apart so you don’t get misled by magnified hearts or a widened mediastinum, especially if the patient does not have a condition like heart failure. In this video, we break down chest X-ray projection step by step and show you how to spot whether a film is AP or PA view just by looking at the image itself—skills you can use on your next shift or exam.
This teaching video is designed to help clinicians who want practical, bedside chest X-ray interpretation skills. We’ll connect the physics of X-ray projection (AP vs PA) with real-world decisions, like when you can and cannot trust the heart size on a portable chest X-ray.
You’ll learn how to:
What AP and PA mean in chest X-ray views and why projection matters
How to recognize AP chest X-ray vs PA chest X-ray using simple visual clues
Why the heart often looks “enlarged” on AP portable CXR
How scapula position, patient posture, and inspiration help you identify the view
Common pitfalls in how to read chest X ray and avoid overcalling cardiomegaly
If you’re looking for chest X-ray basics, how to interpret chest X ray, or a concise refresher on frontal chest X ray positioning, this video will help build your foundation in radiology chest X ray and medical imaging education. The goal = make medical education easy and clinically relevant.
Chapter Table of Contents
00:00 AP vs PA chest X-ray – intro & objectives
01:09 Why chest X-ray projection matters (AP vs PA)
01:57 Cardiothoracic ratio and why PA view is preferred
02:44 RIPE mnemonic – checking chest X-ray image quality
04:11 Portable AP chest X-ray: patient positioning & technique
06:14 Anterior vs posterior explained with patient & scapula
07:49 Real chest X-ray examples – using scapula to spot AP vs PA
10:45 Cardiothoracic ratio, cardiomegaly & projection pitfalls
11:43 AP vs PA chest X-ray – key takeaways & summary
13:09 Free chest X-ray downloads, membership & full lecture plug
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#apvspachestxray #APvsPA #chestxrayinterpretation #howtoreadchestxray #drbusti
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not replace individualized evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition and never delay care because of educational content.
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