BW Radiology Flashcards
How characterize tissue density on CT?
Hypodense = darker than normal tissue (commonly air or fluid, like cysts or abscesses) Hyperdense = brighter than normal tissue
What does a ring enhancing lesion usually represent?
local edema around a mass lesion
breakdown of the blood-brain barrier
Why get a lateral decubitus chest plain film?
if patient can’t stand
to determine whether a suspected pleural effusion will layer
Approach to plain films?
- QC
- Lines and hardware
- Heart + mediastinum
- Lungs and Diaphragm
- Pleura
- Bones
- Soft Tissue
- Checkpoints: apices, aorta, hila, retrocardiac regions
DDx of ‘bone within bone’ sign
Endocrine -Growth arrest and recovery -Paget's dz -Osteopetrosis Intoxication -Heavy metal poisoning
DDx inferior surface rib notching
Vascular: coarctation of the aorta
-SVC obstruction
congenital chest wall A-V malformation
DDx Ivory vertebral body
Neoplastic -sclerotic mets -lymphoma Endocrine -Paget's disease
Honeycomb Lung DDx
=fibrotic replacement of lung parenchyma with thick-walled cysts
- idiopathic interstitial fibrosis
- Histiocytosis X
- Sarcoidosis
Congenital: CF, Tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis
Autoimmune: Scleroderma, RA
Intox: Allergic alveolitis, asbestosis, bleomycin, nitrofurantoin, cyclophosphamide
Ground glass opacities on lung DDx
interstitial pneumonia
hypersensitivity pneumonitis
PCP
alveolar proteinosis
Ddx water bottle shaped heart
pericardial effusion with >250cc of fluid
Pulmonary edema (bat wing) DDx
- CHF
- ARDS
- Mendelson’s syndrome (aspiration s/p anesthesia)
- Smoke inhalation
- near drowning
Blunting of costophrenic angles
300-500mL before becomes apparent
Pleural effusion
Kerley B lines
Vascular
- L ventricular failure
- lymph obstruction
Inflammatory
-sarcoidosis
lymphangitis carcinomatosa
DDx Hilar adenopathy
Inflamm
- Sarcoidosis
- Amyloidosis
Intox
-Silicosis
Neoplastic
- Bronchogenic CA
- lymphoma
Unilateral elevated diaphragm
phrenic nerve palsy
pulmonary hypoplasia scoliosis
pulmonary embolism
Bilaterally elevated diaphragm
obesity
pregnancy
fibrotic lung dz
Steeple sign (narrowed area of subglottic trachea)
Paraflu aka croup
Thumb sign
epiglottitis classically caused by H Flu
DDx gasless abdomen on plain film
obstruction
severe ascites
pancreatitis
Filling defects in stomach on upper GI
ulcer or cancer (sharp angles)
Dilated small bowel DDX
Mechanical
- postsurgical
- incarcerated hernia
- intussusception
- paralytic ileus
Inflammatory
- Celiac sprue
- scleroderma
Liver calcifications DDx
Granuloma
Hydatid cyst
Hepatoma
Gas in portal vein
Mesenteric infarct
Air embolism
NEC
Unilateral cystic renal mass
Inflammatory
-renal abscess
Hemodialysis induced cyst
Hydatid cyst
Congenital
- Bilateral renal cysts
- Polycystic kidney dz
Neoplastic
-Renal cell CA
