Penetrated view of CXR

Penetrated view of CXR

Penetrated view of CXR
Penetrated view of CXR

Penetrated view of chest X-ray showing slightly prominent descending aorta, right atrial contour and main pulmonary artery segment. Usual chest X-rays will visualise only the upper three vertebral bodies. In this chest X-ray all the thoracic vertebral bodies are seen, indicating that it is a penetrated view. Usually penetrated views are taken to see intracardiac prosthesis and pacemaker leads, which may not be seen well in a conventional chest X-ray. The lung fields appear darker in a penetrated view and parenchymal shadows cannot be evaluated properly in a penetrated view.

Aortic knuckle is seen well as a bulge above the main pulmonary artery segment. Descending right pulmonary artery is seen beyond the right atrial contour. Left pulmonary artery is partly obscured and seen behind the main pulmonary artery segment. Fundal gas bubble is seen below the left dome of diaphragm and the liver shadow is seen below the right dome of diaphragm. While viewing
X-rays in digital consoles, it is possible to decrease the opacification of lung fields by post processing so that it will resemble an overpenetrated view.