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• Compression fracture of the anterior part of vertebral body occurring in forward flexion
• Usually does not produce neurological deficits
• It is a stable fracture as only the anterior column of spine is involved
• Caused by : Road traffic accidents, Fall from height
• Predisposing factors : Osteoporosis

1. Denis’ three column concept of spine stability
2. Galeazzi’s Fracture – X-ray
3. Undisplaced fracture – Inferior pubic ramus

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1. Tracheal shift to right on X-ray chest PA view
2. Posterior mediastinal mass
3. Apical lordotic view in chest X-ray

Continuos left hemidiaphragm sign in lateral view

Air anterior to heart in pneumomediastinum

Halo sign in pneumopericardium

1. X-ray skull lateral view
2. Anterior ciliary arteries
3. Pyriform aperture

Minimal pleural effusion R

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Minimal pleural effusion on the right side seen as obliteration of right costophrenic angle. Even such small pleural effusions will measure about 300 ml of pleural fluid.

1. Pleural effusion – left
2. Tracheal shift to right on X-ray chest PA view
3. Pericardial fluid

Radiograph showing mastectomy of left breast. The breast shadow is visible on the right side, whereas it is not seen on the left side.

1. Free gas under the diaphragm – Xray

Apical lordotic view in chest X-ray

An apical lordotic view of chest x-ray used to taken to visualise the lung apices better, to look for apical tumours like Pancoast tumour or superior sulcus tumour and apical tuberculosis. In the usual chest x-ray, this region is partially covered by the clavicles, while in the apical lordotic view the clavicles are away from the field. This view is seldom used now a days because of the frequent availability of CT scans which provide much superior diagnostic information.

1. Tracheal shift to right on X-ray chest PA view
2. X-ray skull lateral view
3. Normal chest X-ray

Destruction of anterior end of 2nd rib (right)

1. Posterior mediastinal mass
2. Unfolding of arch of aorta
3. X-ray skull lateral view

Posterior mediastinal mass seen in left upper zone

Posterior mediastinal mass seen on scout scan seen in the left upper zone

 

Posterior mediastinal mass on CT scan, to the left of the vertebra

1. Mass lesion – Chest X-ray
2. Unfolding of arch of aorta
3. Destruction of 2nd rib

X-ray skull lateral view

In the field of general medicine, X-ray skull lateral view is often obtained to see the pituitary fossa and also to look for punched out osteolytic lesions in multiple myeloma.

1. Apical lordotic view in chest X-ray
2. Tracheal shift to right on X-ray chest PA view
3. Pyriform aperture

Unfolding of arch of aorta

Unfolding of arch of aorta, a common finding in elderly. It appears like a superior mediastinal widening.

1. Rotated chest x-ray
2. Posterior mediastinal mass
3. Apical lordotic view in chest X-ray