Exam 1: Chest X-Rays (Andy's Cards) Flashcards
In the U.S., CXR is routinely obtained for hospitalized adults. In other countries, due to cost, providers rely on physical examination. What are the inherent limitations to this?
- Identifying lesions in the mediastinum, interstitium, and in the center of the lung.
What pathologies can be present even with a normal chest x-ray?
- Interstitial, airway, and pulmonary vascular disease can not be recognized with CXR (i.e.: asthmatics).
Overexposure will cause a film to be too _______.
What structures are well seen in these conditions?
What structures can not be seen?
- Dark
- Bony structures can be well seen (thoracic spine, mediastinal structures, retrocardiac areas)
- Small nodules and fine lung structures will be difficult to see.
Underexposure will cause a film to be too _______.
What structures are well seen in these conditions?
- Bright/White
- Small pulmonary blood vessels will appear prominent and may lead you to think that there are generalized infiltrates when none is really present.
How does breast tissue or an overly obese patient affect the X-ray image?
Breast tissue and large amounts of fat tissue can absorb X-ray beams which causes underexposure of the tissue in the path.
How are chest X-rays on ambulatory patients routinely done?
- Patient’s chest up and against the firm holder.
- The X-ray passes from the back and exits in front to the chest.
- This is called a PA projection (posterior to anterior).
If the patient is lying down, what will be the orientation of the X-ray projection?
- AP Projection (anterior to posterior)
For interpretative purposes, what is the main difference between an AP and PA projection?
- The heart will be magnified on an AP projection.
- This is the because the projection of the heart is farther from the film and the X-ray beam diverges as it goes farther from the X-ray tube.
Why do X-ray techs tell patients to take a deep breath and hold it before they shoot the X-ray?
- Inspiration allows for the spreading of the pulmonary vessels and clearer visualization
What are two reasons why upright film is preferred over supine film?
- Patients can have a greater inspiration.
- Better visualization of pleural effusion since it will run into the normally deep costophrenic angle.
When standing, most adults can take an inspiration that brings the domes of the hemidiaphragm to which rib number?
- Rib 10
When seated, most adults can take an inspiration that brings the domes of the hemidiaphragm to which rib number?
- Anywhere from Rib 8 to Rib 10
If the lungs are hypoinflated, the radiography will show the diaphragm at which rib?
- Rib 7
When doing a quick scan at a CXR, we start at the area of least importance to most importance. What will this order be?
- Abdomen (first)
- Thorax
- Mediastinum
- Individual Lungs
- Bilateral Lung (last)
Pattern of how you will scan the abdomen of a CXR?
What is the red arrow indicating?
Is this a normal finding on a CXR?
- Gastric bubble
- This is a normal finding on a CXR
Free air: Instead of the air being contained inside the stomach to the unitlateral side of the diaphgram, air will be displaced bilaterally on both sides of the diaphragm.
Pattern of how you will scan the thorax of a CXR?
What are you scanning for when looking at the thorax of a CXR?
- Bony Structures
- Rib
- Clavicles
- Scapula
- Continuity and Malformation (Fractures)
Which type of rib fracture is harder to detect on a CXR (Posterior or Anterior Ribs)?
- Posterior Rib fractures are harder to detect.
The pattern of how you will scan the mediastinum and heart of a CXR.
What three structures in the mediastinum should be centrally located during a routine CXR?
- Heart
- Sternum
- Trachea
Generally, the heart should be no larger than _______ of the chest diameter.
- one-third
The pattern of how you will scan each lung on a CXR.
What is the systematic approach (detail) for viewing a CXR?
- Bony Fragments/ Framework
- Soft Tissues
- Lung Fields and Hila
- Diaphragm and Pleural Space
- Mediastinum and Heart
- Abdomen and Neck
What are bony fragments that can be viewed on a CXR?
- Ribs - start at sternum and trace posteriorly
- Sternum - look for continuity
- Spine - best view on lateral image
- Shoulder girdle - look for displacement
- Clavicles - look for symmetry
What soft tissues are inspected on a CXR?
- Breast tissue - breast tissue can hide diaphragmatic problems, fluid accumulation, free air
- Soft Tissue in the supraclavicular area
- Axillae
- Tissue along the breast
What can be viewed in the Hilum on a CXR?
- Pulmonary arteries
- Pulmonary veins
What is another name for the hilum?
- Lung Root
What should be seen in the lungs of a healthy adult’s CXR?
- Normal Lung markings
- Linear and fine nodular shadows of pulmonary vessels
- Abnormalities in the lung field are marked by excessive radiolucency, excessive radiopacity, or opacified areas.
What percent of the lung field and hila will be obscured by the tissue?
- 40%
What kind of shape should the diaphragm form on a normal CXR?
- Dome-shape
- Costophrenic angle (red circle)
True or False: Normal pleural is not visible in a healthy person’s CXR.
- True
- You should not be able to see the pleural in a normal CXR.
- The only time you should see the pleural is when air is trapping between the chest wall or the mediastinum and lungs.
On a Posterior-Anterior CXR, the normal right heart and mediastinal border are made up of four structures. Name them from the bottom to the top.
- Inferior Vena Cava (bottom)
- Right Atrium
- Ascending Aorta
- Superior Vena Cava (top)
On a Posterior-Anterior CXR, the normal left heart and mediastinal border comprise five structures. Name them from the bottom to the top.
- Left Ventricle (bottom)
- Left Atrium
- Pulmonary Artery
- Aortic Arch
- Subclavian Artery/Vein (top)
What side is the gastric bubble usually on?
- Left side (unilateral)
What is assessed on the neck for a CXR?
- Soft tissue mass
- Air trapping (air bronchogram)
Can you tell the content of a fluid by looking at a X-ray?
- No
- You can tell that the substance is a fluid, but not what it is made up of (blood, mucous, pulmonary edema).
Describe the appearance of the following on a CXR:
Air
Water
Bone
Tissue
- Air tends to be black
- Water is solid white
- Bone is translucent white
- Tissue is even more solid white than fluid.
What factors can result in a poor quality x-ray film?
- Poor inspiration (poor visibility/ high diaphragms)
- Over or under-penetration (can exaggerate important findings)
- Rotation (obscure CXR view)
- Forgetting the path of the X-ray beam
On a properly penetrated posterior-anterior CXR, one can just make out the __________ overlying the image of the heart.
- thoracic vertebrae
How will you check if the patient is not rotated on CXR?
- Check proper orientation by noting equal distance from vertebral spines to medial ends of the clavicle
How many lobes are there on the right lung?
- 3 lobes on the right lung
How many lobes are there on the left lung?
- 2 lobes on the left lung
What type of CXR projection/orientation will have extensive lung overlap?
- Posterior-anterior X-ray projection will show the lower lobes extending high over the lung field.
How much of the right lung does the RUL occupy?
- one-third
Posteriorly, the RUL is adjacent to the first _____ to _____ ribs.
- 3 to 5 ribs
Anteriorly, the RUL extends down as far as the _______anterior right rib.
- 4th anterior right rib
What is the smallest lobe of the right lung?
What kind of shape does it look like in a lateral CXR?
- The right middle lobe is the smallest lobe
- Triangular shape with narrowest end near the hilum
What is the largest lobe of the right lung?
- RLL
- RLL is also the most common place pt will develop pneumonia.
- RLL will also be harder to see in patients with poor inspiration.
Posteriorly, the RLL extends as far superiorly as high as the ______ vertebral body and extends inferiorly to the diaphragm.
- 6th thoracic