Radiology, otherwise known as x-ray imaging, has been an established method of evaluating bone structure for many years. It is often helpful in locating bone tumors, certain types of arthritis, fractures and other disorders. Nonetheless, other valuable information can be gleaned from these films as well. Analysis of spinal alignment can often yield critical information as to the source of a condition given the relationship between the spine and the human nervous system. Standard radiological equipment, however, introduces numerous errors that compromise the accuracy of the images when used for this purpose.
When x-ray is generated, one portion of the beam is projected straight ahead and is called the central ray. The rest diverges from the center and spreads like a sunburst. If the radiological unit is not properly aligned, or the patient is positioned incorrectly, the image will distort. For some conditions, this is not a problem. However, when evaluating the spine, distortion can change the relative position of the bony segments causing the appearance of false misalignments. This can produce disastrous effects when the information from the images is used as a basis for treatment.
