Chest X ray Flashcards
name the colours in a chest x ray and what substance they are
1 black – air 2, dark grey - fat 3, light grey = soft tissue 4, white = bone/fluid 5 bright white metal
How do chest x rays work
- Charged ions (x rays) pass through you and produce a negative photographic image
what are the uses of chest x rays
- To identify lung pathology – fluid, infection, pneumothorax
- To identify bowl pathology, pneumoperitoneum
- To identify foreign objects
- To confirm placement of lines and tubes
how do you interpret a chest x ray
A – airway B- Breathing C - Circulation D- Diaphrgam E- Everything
ABCDE
RIPE
- Rotation
- Inspiration
- Projection
- Exposure
what details do you need to check on a chest x ray
- Check patients ID
- When it was taken date/time
- Any previous imaging
- What side you are looking at
- AP or PA
describe rotation
Medial aspect of each clavicle in relation to spinous process
Spinous processes vertically oriented against vertebral bodies
describe inspiration
5-6 anterior ribs
Lung apices, costrophrenic angles and lateral rib edges should be visible
describe projection
AP or PA
If the scapulae are not projected on film it is PA
what is the difference between PA and AP
- PA normal heart size, no scapulae
- AP – heart size enlarged, scapulae
describe exposure
Left hemidiaphragm visible to the spine
Vertebrae visible behind the heart
describe airways
- Trachea and bronchi visible and branches at the carina
- And trachea passes down right hand side of the aorta
what is airway push caused by
opposite side
- E.g. mass, effusion, tension pneumothorax
what is airway pull caused by
- Decrease in volume or pressure on one side pulling it towards the same side
- E.g. collapse
describe breathing
- Decreased at zones on radiographs
- Lung markings should occupy entire field to thoracic wall
- Pleura and pleural spaces only visible in abnormality
describe circulation
Look for the aortic knuckle and border
Look for heart size (cardio-thoracic ratio: >50% considered abnormal)
Borders of the heart
