X-Ray Both Ankle & Feet (AP / Lat View) Test

X-Ray scanning is a technique that is used to diagnose orthopedic problems in people. The technique uses electromagnetic waves of X-radiation to get an imagery of the bones on a special film which helps the doctors and medical practitioners to understand the problems related to bones in a patient. X-ray scanning can also help to detect any anomaly, like fracture, swelling etc. of bones or presence of any foreign object inside the body.

The procedure starts from proper placement of a patient against the X-ray plates and culminates with the formation of imagery on the film. For ankle AP view, the patient has to be supine or sitting upright with the leg straightened on a table. Toes point towards ceiling and foot is in dorsiflexion. For lateral view, foot is positioned lateral recumbent to table. The knee and ankle must be in contact with table so that tibla lies parallel to table. Foot must be in dorsiflexion and leg can be bent or straight. This follows by the patient standing in front of a specialized plate containing a X-ray film or sensors. The X-ray scanning machine may remain stationary or may be moved over the body parts for capture the images. The patient has to stay still during the entire process to ensure the production of the clearest images.

The X-ray scanning technique is a blessing for doctors as it helps to directly peep inside the body and diagnose the condition of bones without any invasive technique. Using X-rays to get a complete picture of the target location in a human body, a doctor can check for the presence of any foreign body. The process does not need much preparation by the patient and gets over in just a matter of 1-2 minutes. This helps in medical analysis of people without any penetration method.

The X-ray scanning process requires minimal prior preparation. The patient will need to wear loose, comfortable clothes or even a hospital gown. Metallic items and jewelry are supposed to be removed before the process. In case a patient has got metal implants in any of the feet, it needs to be informed to the doctor beforehand since they can block X-rays. Certain cases also require the patients to take a contrast material or a “contrast dye” to improve quality of images. A patient can comfortably have food before X-ray scan of ankle or feet.