Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Flashcards
What are some risk factors for tumours?
Age
Smoking (previous history)
What are the clinical presentation of tumours?
Symptoms are vague and increases with time
Affects breathing
Unexplained haemoptysis
Unexplained weight loss
What imaging modality is used first to rule out a tumour in the cardiovascular and respiratory region?
CXR - be referred to from GP
What imaging modality is used for diagnosis and prognosis?
CT after getting a biopsy
What is Bronchial adenoma?
Umbrella term for neoplams that can lead to obstruction
What does bronchial adenoma lead to?
Cough
Haemoptysis
Atelectasis (collapse of lung) or Pneumonia
What modality is most useful for bronchoscopy and biopsy?
CT. MRI is used when CT is unclear
What are the treatment options for bronchial?
Radiotherapy (if confined)
Chemo and/or RT (small cell lung carcinoma)
Stent (bronchial)
Excision (complexity and vascular involvement)
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Lung - certain areas
Why is MRI not the 1st modality used for Bronchial?
Long scan time
Lungs not well visualised due to breathing and heart movement
What type of tumour is MRI good to visualise?
Pancoast (Apical) Tumour
What is a pancoast (apical) tumour?
A type of lung cancer that invades the apical chest wall
What is bronchoscopy?
A procedure to look directly at the airways in the lungs using a thin, lighted tube (bronchoscope)
What kind of cancer is the leading cause of death for both men and women?
Lung carcinoma
What imaging modality is used to diagnose primary and any liver mets?
CT chest and liver with IV contrast
What is PECT/CT used to assess?
Benign or malignant lesion(s)
What imaging modality is best used to assess chest wall invasion?
MRI
What is MRI used to assess?
Location
Size of primary tumour
Assists with staging by identifying any liver mets
What are the advantages of PET/CT?
- More accurate than CT for staging lung cancer
- Highly sensitive (small metastatic deposits)
- Determines the extent of disease (good for surgical/treatment planning for any spread of disease)
- Cost-effective tool for differentiating operable from inoperable disease
- Ascertaining lung tumour response to therapy and detecting recurrence in successfully treated lesions
What are the disadvantages of PET/CT?
Not readily available
Time consuming
Expensive (compared to CT)
Higher radiation dose then CT
Slower throughput
Why is CT guidied biopsy used?
For locolisation and pinpointing
Higher accuracy of sample
To avoid vital anatomical structures (major blood vessels, nerves, peritoneal cavity, spinal canal and its contents)
Why is fine needle aspiration (FNA) used?
Less invasive than core biopsy
Less tissue damage
Smaller tissue damage
Rapid-firing mechanism
What is the risk associated with CT lung biopsy?
Small risk of bleeding or pneumothorax
Why is lung radiofrequency ablation (RFA) used?
For inoperable early stage lung cancer
For controlled burning
Contraindications in patients with tumour that are close to the mediastinum and the airways in the oesophagus and large blood vessels including the aorta
What imaging modality is used for lung radiofrequency ablation?
CT
What are the preliminary images in lung radiofrequency ablation used for?
To determine the best access route to the tumour and avoid structures such as:
- ribs
- fissures
- central bronchi
- large blood vessels
- brachial plexus
What kind of tumours are common in lungs and rib cage?
Metastatic disease
How does metastatic disease spread?
Usually via a haematogenous route
What are some common primary tumours?
Breast
Renal tract
Testis
GI tract
Thyroid
Bone
What can cause cardiac disturbances?
Medication
Congenital abnormalities
Aetiology unknown
What are the two different types of arrhythmias?
Tachycardia
Bradycardia
Where does supraventricular tachycardia take places?
From or above the atrioventricular node
Where does Atrial fibrillation (AF) happen?
Signal comes from multiple sites which causes confusion
What is heart block?
Electrical pathways are interrupted which leads to bradycardia and can result in fainting, dizziness and SOB
Can be congenitial or develop w/ age
Can result from cardiac arrest, infections, post CABG, and medication
What treatment method isused for a mild heart block?
Temporary pacing wires
What are some treatment options for cardiac arrythmias?
- Artirial fibrillation (cardioversion)
- Electrodes on chest and administered a controlled shock to the heart
- Under sedation
Under what imaging modality are pacemakers inserted?
Fluoroscopy
What are pacemakers used to treat?
Bradycardia
Cardiac arrest
Heart block
What is implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) used for?
Prevent sudden death syndrome
What are the futrue trends associated with cardiac arrythmias?
No leads ICD within the heart via femoral access
Why is RFA in cardiac used for?
A nonsurgical procedure to treat arrythimia
Creates an accessory pathway
Why is a femoral access required?
To place a catheter in the heart which is ECG monitored and helps identify the areas of arrythmias occurring
What are some symptoms of lung infections?
Affects respirations
Raised tempreature
What imaging modality is best used for lung infection visualisation?
CXR
Why is US used of lung infections?
To differentiate between consolidation and pleural effusion
What can pneumonia result to?
Lung abscess
What are antibiotics used for?
Bacterial infections
What is bronchiectasis?
Dilation of bronchioles which leads to an increase in mucus which then results in a higher risk of lung infection
Causes permanent damage
What are some symptooms of bronchiectasis?
SOB
Presistent productive cough
What are some treatment options for bronchiectasis?
Medication - keeps airways as patent as possible
This is done via: -
- Nebulisers
- Oxygen
- Respiratory exercises
- Postural drainage
What is lung abscess?
Necrosis of the lung tissue and development of cavity which fills with necrotic debris or fluid from microbial infection
What is pericarditis?
An inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the heart
What is complication can pericarditis lead to?
Restrictive pericarditis
What pathologies are caused by abnormal fluid/air collections?
Pleural effusion
Cardiac tamponade
Haemo/pneumo thorax
What is pleural effusion?
Abnormal fluid collection within the pleural space
Moves with different positions
What causes pleural effusion?
Benign and malignant disease
Cardiopulmonary disorders
Inflammatory diseases