Why are CT scan images "backwards" or a mirror-image of the body?

Question

I've been doing some research online about CT scans and when I looked up CT scans of the abdomen, I realized that they all appear to be flipped. Liver's appear to be on the left side of the body but the (R) notation is there notating it's actually the right. I'm just curious why this is. Do docs have to think "in reverse" when reading them? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Standard anatomical position is from the perspective of someone facing the patient, looking at the front of the patient. When someone faces you, their right is on your left and vice-versa. If you have an anatomy book or look up an anatomy website online, you'll see that this is usually covered in the first chapter or two of the course. Yes, you do have to get used to thinking in "reverse". To the point that after a while, you think left IS right and right is left. :) But with practice, it becomes second nature.