DI 3 Midterm Flashcards
Describe the appearance of the major and minor fissures on PA and lateral chest films.
Right lung: 2 fissures
( 3 lobes- upper, middle, and lower) Begins @ T5 Oblique fissure (major): Superior and middle lobes above fissure Inferior lobe below fissure Visible on LATERAL film ( not seen on PA)
Right horizontal ( minor ) fissure:
Absent or incomplete in 25%
Seen in 54% of PA
Describe the appearance of the major and minor fissures on PA and lateral chest films.
Left lung: (2 lobes)
Left upper lobe
Left lower lobe
Separated by oblique fissure
Begins @ T5
Locate the lingular lobules.
Located in the LUL
What anatomical parts are responsible for the cardiac contours on the PA and lateral chest films?
Anterior (heart) structures
Right heart border (Right atrium), left heart border (Left atrium and ventricle), ascending aorta Aortic Arch Pulmonary trunk Brachiocephalic vessels Superior Vena Cava Inferior Vena Cava
What anatomical parts are responsible for the cardiac contours on the PA and lateral chest films?
Posterior heart structures
Descending thoracic aorta, aortic knob (posterior portion of aortic arch) Ascending Aorta Left Atrium and Ventricle Right Atrium (looks anterior) Inferior Vena Cava
Which views are included in routine plain film examination of the chest?
PA and left lateral……..full inspiration
How does a thoracic spine plain film study differ from a chest study?
- Technique
- Collimation
- Positioning
Technique
72” FFD, high kVp, low mA and short time, full inspiration
Collimation
Chest films must include all air spaces of the lungs vs tightly collimated thoracic spine films
Positioning
PA chest vs. AP thoracic
Left lateral chest vs. either lateral thoracic
What condition or anatomical region is best demonstrated by the apical lordotic view?
See apices of the lung, can dx a pancoast tumor ( or anything in the apices of the lung)
Is the routine chest x-ray taken with inspiration or expiration?
Full inspiration
- Breath held on inspiration
- Expands lung fields
- depresses diaphragm
- Provides contrast (air vs. tissue)
Describe the difference in appearance between inspiration and expiration.
Need good inspiration, should see first 10 ribs posteriorly, lowers the diaphragm
On expiration -
What condition is better demonstrated upon expiration than inspiration?
Pneumothorax: upright expiration more sensitive
What is the appearance of interstitial disease?
- Thickened alveolar septa, alveolar walls; interstitial lymph, veins, cells
- Usu diffuse pattern, mb combined with consolidation
- A) Pattern: reticular, nodular, honeycomb, or any combo/ combo—acing shadow
- *B) Ground glass: hazy inc density, vasculature clearly visible (usu acute, some chronic fibrosis)
- **C) Linear ( reticular): thickened septa, fibrosis, Kerley B lines
- ***ID tends to produce opacities that can be characterized at reticular (delicate lines of opacity), nodular, reticulonodular, or ground glass (hazy inc in density) It represents the accumulation of fluid or tissue in the pulmonary intersitium, which includes not only the potential space between the alveoli but the lymphatics and veins as well.
*Infectious dz of the interstitium: viruses, mycoplasma, TB, Pneumocystis carinii, collagen vascular dz (RA), pneumoconioses.
What is the appearance of alveolar/air space disease?
Silhouette sign, air bronchogram, pattern—diffuse, lobar/localized, solitary nodule/mass, multiple nodule/mass, atelectasis
A) Represents filling of the pulmonary acini, the 8mm respiratory units composed of respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, and alveoli
B) Opacities appear fluffy and ill-defined and often become confluent to form larger regions of opacity.
C) Other findings are air-bronchograms (lucent tubular and branching structures representing aerated bronchi surrounded by opaque acini), absence of volume loss (the acini remain filled, with replacement of air by fluid or tissue), and a non-segmental distribution.
Pneumococcal pneumonia, TB, fungal pneumonia, bronchoalveolar carcinoma, lymphoma, ARDS, pulmonary edema ( including cariogenic)
5 substances fill air space:
pus, tumor, water, protein, blood
Alveolar/air space disease? (7)
Pneumococcal pneumonia, TB, fungal pneumonia, bronchoalveolar carcinoma, lymphyoma, ARDS, pulmonary edema ( including cardiogenic)
List the 4 patterns of “white lung” disease (lung opacification on chest films)
1) Diffuse - consolidation
2) Localized / Lobar
3) Solitary mass / nodule
4) Condition: neoplasm
Differential list for “white lung” disease (lung opacification on chest films)
1) Diffuse - consolidation
Usu b/l
Condition: CHF (pulm edema), systemic/ widespread dz – sarcoidosis, histoplasmosis
Mb acing shadow, air bronchogram, mult silhouette signs, suggests more systemic / widespread dz
Differential list for “white lung” disease (lung opacification on chest films)
2) Localized / Lobar
Usu only a portion of one lung
Condition: bacterial info, pneumonia
Differential list for “white lung” disease (lung opacification on chest films)
3) Solitary mass / nodule
Usu u/l; Small, well defined area
Differential list for “white lung” disease (lung opacification on chest films)
4) Condition: neoplasm
Multiple masses / nodules
Usu b/l; multiple well defined areas
Condition: metastasis
What is the silhouette sign?
Obliteration of an anatomical shadow dt a water density (structure or lesion) in anatomic contact with that structure (can’t see structure any longer)
Water densities that may cause a silhouette sign include:
Pneumonia, Tumors, Pleural Effusion
Structures that may show silhouette sign:
Mediastinal structures: Heart, Aorta
Diaphragms dt effusion/fluid
Chest Wall – tumors, etc.
What is the significance (which bronchopulmonary segments involved) when obliteration of the following is observed?
Aortic knob:
apical posterior segment of LUL
What is the significance (which bronchopulmonary segments involved) when obliteration of the following is observed?
Ascending aorta:
in anatomic contact with anterior segment of RUL (as is uppermost portion of R heart border)