What is the use of chest lateral views? left and right?

Question

What is the use of chest lateral views? left and right?

Answer 1

Get a better view of the cardiac silhouette, the aortic arch, and whether or not a consolidation is in the front or back of the lung.  Also gives a good picture of the hemidiaphragm rising into the chest.  It really allows you to pinpoint something in three-dimensional space.  If you only had a front and a back view, you would be able to tell where something is on the left or right or top and bottom, but not front to back.