Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam

What breathing instruction is the patient given immediately before an AP or PA chest radiograph?

1. Breathe normally

2. Exhale completely

3. Do not worry about breathing; it will not affect this x-ray

4. Take a deep breath

The correct answer is: Take a deep breath

The correct instruction given to the patient immediately before an Anterior-Posterior (AP) or Posterior-Anterior (PA) chest radiograph is to take a deep breath. This is essential because a deep breath allows the lungs to expand fully, providing a clearer image of the structures within the thoracic cavity, including the lungs and heart. When the patient inhales deeply and holds their breath briefly, it reduces motion blur and enhances the visibility of any potential abnormalities. Capturing the image at full inspiration captures more lung volume, aiding in the assessment of conditions such as pneumonia, tumors, or pneumothorax. The other options do not facilitate the best imaging conditions. Breathing normally would lead to potential blurring of the image as the diaphragm moves, while exhaling completely would not provide an accurate representation of lung capacity. Suggesting not to worry about breathing may give the patient a false sense of security that their breathing does not play a role in the radiograph's quality, which is not accurate. Thus, instructing the patient to take a deep breath is pivotal in achieving the highest quality image for assessment.