The following is a quiz on identifying anatomical points on a vertex film. Unfortunately the film is not that clear, but there are certain anatomical references that you can use. Good luck. We posted the answers at the bottom of the page. (There is no #9.)





Answers to the vertex X-ray quiz.


1. Foramen magnum
2. Occipitalcondyles
3. Basilar process of the Occipital bone
4. Petrous portion of the Temporal bone
5. Greater wing of the Sphenoid bone
6. Lesser wing of the Sphenoid bone
7. Foramen lacerum
8. Foramen ovale
9. None
10. Carotid canal
11. Condyloid foramen
12. Nasal septum
13. Infra orbital foramen
14. Orbital sockets

The point of this exercise/challenge is to work on improving ourselves. X-ray work is part of the foundation for most U.C. techniques.

Further comments:
We have had a number of questions/comments on the vertex film that we published, i.e.,

"The skull filled up the entire film."

"Seemed rounder."

"None of the cervical spine was visible."

All of these questions/comments were of the same nature, i.e., the general appearance of the film that we published, in contrast to the general appearance of the films that the DCs are getting in their offices.
What we are dealing with here is a simple point in X-ray projection, i.e., in order to properly view the structures in which you are interested – especially if you are attempting to make precise measurements rather than just "looking" at the structures – it is imperative that the central ray be projected both at 90° to the structure in question and at 90° to the film. (The image of the atlas has of course been removed from the film we published.) If the film is not shot at 90° to the horizontal plane of the atlas, any atlas rotation measurement will not be accurate. If the film has a diminished A - P appearance (squeezed with any of the cervical showing,) then the film has not been shot properly. This type of distortion is termed the "lollypop effect," and results in an inaccurate rotation listing.