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Chest special views: lordotic, obliques and expiration
Lordotic lifts the clavicles off the apices; anterior obliques show the side away from the IR; an expiration film helps find a small pneumothorax.
Apical lordotic
The AP axial lordotic view shows the lung apices free of the clavicles, for lesions or calcifications hidden behind them. The patient stands about 1 foot in front of the IR, facing the tube, then leans back so the shoulders and upper back touch the IR, with the hands on the hips and the shoulders rolled forward. The CR is perpendicular to the IR, centered to the mid sternum. If the patient cannot lean back, keep them upright against the IR and angle the CR 15 to 20 degrees cephalad instead. On a good image the clavicles are nearly horizontal and project above the apices, and the ribs look distorted and almost flat.