Which projection requires the knee to be placed on the lateral side?

Which projection requires the knee to be placed on the lateral side?

• A. AP axial foot
• B. Lateral foot
• C. Medial oblique foot
• D. AP foot

Answer: (B)

Positioning for a lateral foot projection requires the patient to lie on their side so the knee sits on the lateral (outer) side. This side-lying position keeps the leg and foot in a true lateral alignment, preventing rotation that would distort the image. With the knee on the lateral side, the foot rests in profile, allowing the calcaneus, talus, and metatarsals to be visualized without overlapping in an oblique or rotated manner. The other foot views— AP axial, AP, and medial oblique—do not require or rely on placing the knee on the lateral side, since they are performed with the patient facing the detector and with varying degrees of rotation of the foot, not a true lateral alignment.

Positioning for a lateral foot projection requires the patient to lie on their side so the knee sits on the lateral (outer) side. This side-lying position keeps the leg and foot in a true lateral alignment, preventing rotation that would distort the image. With the knee on the lateral side, the foot rests in profile, allowing the calcaneus, talus, and metatarsals to be visualized without overlapping in an oblique or rotated manner.

The other foot views— AP axial, AP, and medial oblique—do not require or rely on placing the knee on the lateral side, since they are performed with the patient facing the detector and with varying degrees of rotation of the foot, not a true lateral alignment.