PERBANDINGAN VARIASI PENYUDUTAN AP AXIAL PADA TEKNIK RADIOGRAFI APEX PARU DI LABORATORIUM RADIOLOGI STIKES MALUKU HUSADA

This study was motivated by the importance of apex lung visualization in chest
radiographic examinations, particularly for detecting abnormalities such as lesions, masses, or
infiltrates that are often difficult to identify when image quality is suboptimal. One approach to
improve apex visualization is by varying the angulation in the AP axial radiographic technique.
The purpose of this study was to compare the results of angulation variations of 20°, 30°, and 40°
in producing apex lung image quality at the Radiology Laboratory of STIKes Maluku Husada
The research method applied was an experimental study using the Visual Grading Analysis (VGA)
approach, a subjective assessment technique involving observers to evaluate image quality based
on predetermined criteria. The collected data were analyzed to determine the median score and the
level of interobserver agreement. The findings revealed that a 20° angulation produced better
image quality compared to larger angles, with a median score of 3.5 and an agreement level of
75%. In contrast, the 30–40° angulation variation only achieved a median score of 3 with a lower
agreement level of 50%
These results indicate that increasing the angulation does not necessarily improve image quality,
but may in fact reduce the clarity of the apex lung structure due to distortion or overlapping of
anatomical shadows. Therefore, a 20° angulation can be recommended as the optimal angle in the
AP axial radiographic technique to enhance the visualization of the lung apex. This study is
expected to provide useful insights for radiology students and practitioners in selecting appropriate
technical parameters to improve the diagnostic quality of chest radiography while minimizing the
risk of misinterpretation in the apex region.