In radiology, what is the term for the body position when the patient lies on the abdomen and the x-ray beam passes from the right side to the left?

• A. Ventral Decubitus
• B. Dorsal Decubitus
• C. Lateral Decubitus
• D. Prone Decubitus

Answer: (A)

In radiography, decubitus describes a patient lying down with the x-ray beam directed horizontally. When the patient rests on the abdomen, the surface in contact with the table is the ventral (front) surface, so the position is ventral decubitus. The fact that the beam travels from right to left is a left–right projection detail and doesn’t change the surface the patient is lying on. So this setup is described as ventral decubitus rather than dorsal (on the back), lateral (on the side), or an alternative term for lying on the abdomen.