An apparatus for use in a cephalostat has a collimator for defining the shape of an X-ray beam and a soft tissue filter screen, mounted independently of the collimator, for attenuating a portion of the X-ray beam. The soft tissue filter screen has an anterior facial portion and a submental-neck portion having a leading edge at a position posterior relative to the leading edge of the anterior facial portion. The soft tissue filter screen is independently adjustable relative to the collimator. A cephalometric radiology apparatus includes a support structure, an X-ray source, and an X-ray detector, in addition to the collimator and the soft tissue filter screen. A method for imaging soft tissue and hard tissue involves positioning the soft tissue filter independently of positioning the collimator. A modular system, which can be mounted onto a cephalostat, includes the soft tissue filter screen and a mounting component.