Hand X-Ray PA
Objective
Phalanges, metacarpals and joints.
Positioning
Patient seated.
Hand pronated, palm in contact with the detector.
Fingers extended and slightly separated.
Central ray: perpendicular to the IR.
Centering
Metacarpophalangeal joints
DR Parameters
50–60 kV · 3–5 mAs
SID ~100–115 cm · no grid
CR Parameters
50–60 kV · 5–8 mAs · SID ~100–115 cm
Quality criteria
Complete visualisation of phalanges and metacarpals.
Fingers extended and separated.
No rotation.
Common errors
Overlapping fingers.
Hand rotation.
Movement.
Practical notes
Check for rings or bracelets.