Chest X ray

Question 1

What are the 3 types of chest X ray and which is the most common?

Answer 1

PA, AP and lateral

PA is the most common

Question 2

What colour on a CXR:
Air?
Fat?
Soft Tissue/muscle?
Bone?
Metal?

Answer 2

Air= black
Fat= grey
Soft tissue/muscle= grey/white
Bone= white
Metal= bright white

Question 3

Why may the heart be on the right?

Answer 3

Sinus Invertus

Question 4

Why does a PA CXR minimise magnification of the cardiac shadow?

Answer 4

Because the heart lies anteriorly within the thorax

Question 5

Why is an AP CXR inferior to a PA CXR?

Answer 5

Heart shadow is magnified so the size of the heart cannot be assessed accurately.
Scapula overly and partly obscure the lungs
Hard for patient to take adequate inspiration

Question 6

What is the benefit of a lateral CXR?

Answer 6

You can see behind the heart

Question 7

Describe how you would take a PA CXR?

Answer 7

Patient stands 2m from the x ray apperatus facing the digital casette
Sholders braced forward to move scapula out of teh way
Full inspiration

Question 8

What 4 signs imply a CXR is technically acurate?

Answer 8

Inspiration- can you see 6 anterior or 10 posterior ribs
Rotation- are the medial ends of the clavicles equidistant from T1/2 vertabrae
Penitration- was enough radiation used- can you see the vertebrae individually

Question 9

If a CXR is over exposed what colour will it look?

Answer 9

Predominantly black

Question 10

Which lung lobe makes up the left heart boarder?

Answer 10

Lingulla

Question 11

Which lung lobe makes up the right heart boarder?

Answer 11

Right middle lobe

Question 12

What are the review areas on a CXR?

Answer 12

Apicies and costophrenic angles

Question 13

How much fluid is needed to be detected on CXR?

Answer 13

200ml