4.4 - Surface Anatomy And Setup

What common surface anatomy landmarks are used to verify treatment setup position?
Try to identify landmarks from each region of the body – head, neck, limbs, thorax, abdomen, pelvis.

Head landmarks

Commonly used landmarks:

  • The tragus of the ear
  • The columella of the nose

Neck landmarks

Thermoplastic masks are commonly used, allowing direct marking of the mask to aid treatment. Other landmarks used:

  • The sternal notch (suprasternal notch, SSN)

Thorax landmarks

Commonly used:

  • The sternal notch
  • The xiphisternum
  • The nipple

Abdominal landmarks

Commonly used:

  • The xiphisternum
  • The pubic symphysis
  • The umbilicus

Limb landmarks

Commonly used:

  • Joints (eg. metacarpal-phalangeal, distal radius, patella, malleolus)

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