Acronym

PA - Posteroanterior

Standard posterior-to-anterior projection

Expansion

Posteroanterior

Purpose

Standard chest X-ray projection

Clinical Context

PA is preferred for chest X-rays - patient stands against film with beam from behind. Standard ‘frontal’ chest view in radiology reports.

  • AP:
  • Lateral:

Key Points

  • PA is preferred for upright chest X-rays as it minimises cardiac magnification