Clavicle (AP view)
The clavicle AP view is a standard projection part of the clavicle series. The projection demonstrates the shoulder in its natural anatomical position allowing for adequate radiographic examination of the entire clavicle, as well as the acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joints of the shoulder girdle.
On this page:
Patient position
- patient is preferably erect
- the midcoronal plane of the patient is parallel to the image receptor, in other words, the patient's back is against the image receptor
- the clavicle of the affected side is at the center of the image receptor
- affected arm is in a neutral position by the patient side
Technical factors
- anteroposterior projection
-
centring point
- mid clavicle
-
collimation
- superior to the skin margins
- inferior to include mid scapula
- lateral to include the skin margin
- medial to include the sternoclavicular joint
-
orientation
- landscape
-
detector size
- 18 cm x 24 cm
-
exposure
- 60-70 kVp
- 10-18 mAs
-
SID
- 100 cm
-
grid
- yes (this can vary departmentally)
Image technical evaluation
- the entire clavicle is visual alongside the glenoid cavity and scapular in the AP position
- a slight overlap of the humeral head with the glenoid
Practical points
The technical factors of this examination are not particularly demanding, and there is not much room for positioning error other than over or under rotation.
Just ensure there is no overlap of the clavicle due to over rotation.
Related Radiopaedia articles
Radiographic views
- pediatric radiography
- radiographic positioning and terminology
- systematic radiographic technical evaluation
- chest radiography
- pediatric chest radiography
- abdominal radiography
- pediatric abdominal radiography
-
upper limb radiography
-
shoulder girdle radiography
- scapula series
-
shoulder series
- AP view
- internal rotation view
- external rotation view
- superoinferior axial view
- inferosuperior axial view
- modified trauma axial
- supine lateral
- modified supine lateral
- Y lateral view
- AP glenoid view
- apical oblique view (Garth view)
- humerus (neck) AP view
- humerus axial (bicipital groove) view (Fisk view)
- outlet view (Neer view)
- Stryker notch view
- acromioclavicular joint series
- clavicle series
- sternoclavicular joint series
- arm and forearm radiography
- wrist and hand radiography
-
shoulder girdle radiography
-
lower limb radiography
- pelvic girdle radiography
- thigh and leg radiography
- ankle and foot radiography
- skull radiography
-
paranasal sinus and facial bone radiography
- facial bones
- Caldwell view (angled skull PA view)
- nasal bones
- zygomatic arches
- orbits
- paranasal sinuses
- temporal bones
-
dental radiography
- orthopantomography (OPG)
- mandible
- temporomandibular joints
- spine radiography