CAMRT Radiography Practice Exam

Why is a patient asked to tuck his chin down during a brain scan?

1. To reduce radiation exposure

2. To enable quicker scan times

3. To assist with immobilization

4. To avoid tilting the gantry

The correct answer is: To reduce radiation exposure

The correct choice highlights the importance of patient positioning in obtaining high-quality images during a brain scan. When a patient tucks their chin down, it helps to better align the anatomical structures of the head and neck, which can improve the clarity and diagnostic value of the images produced. Proper positioning minimizes the potential for artifacts or blurriness caused by movement or misalignment. Effective positioning can also serve to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure by optimizing the beam alignment with the area of interest. When the patient's chin is tucked down, the technician can ensure that the x-ray beam is accurately targeted, limiting the exposure to surrounding tissues or organs that are not meant to be scanned. While the other options may seem relevant in other contexts, they do not directly address the primary reason for the chin tuck during imaging. Speed of the scan times, assistance in immobilization, and avoidance of gantry tilt can be secondary benefits but are not the fundamental rationale behind the instruction to tuck the chin during a brain scan.