General Flashcards
Chest radiographs are taken based on clinical data. What are the signs & symptoms that indicate need for chest film?
chronic cough, cyanosis, clubbing of fingers, chest px, expectoration, shortness of breath, thoracic px, upper extremity px
What film is adequate for young patients in screening of the thorax without chest related symptoms?
P-A chest
What films should be taken in patients over 50 years old with chest related symptoms?
P-A & Left lateral chest, as well as thoracic
What is the standard FFD for chest radiographs & why?
72”, to reduce magnification
Is the mAs for chest films high or low?
What about kVp?
Low mAs & high kVp (110-150)
What is the breathing technique for chest films and why?
Deep breath in & hold
Pushes the diaphragm down
With full inspiration on chest films, what should we see?
10 posterior, 7 anterior ribs above the Right hemidiaphragm
How is rotation seen on chest film and how much rotation can change density of the lung fields?
If clavicles are not equidistance from PTs midline from side to side
10%
What is the gold standard of radiograph for meniscus or disc?
MRI
What is the gold standard of radiograph for soft tissue, chest, or abdomen? Why?
CT
advantageous to see shadows of chest wall, pleura, lungs, hilum, & mediastinum
What is key about the hilar area of the lung?
it is rich in lymph nodes & blood vessels
METS loves it
most important to look at on AP thoracic film
Why is it important to look at the cardiophrenic and costophrenic angles of the lungs?
they can fill with fluid if there is a pathology
What is a key indicator of pathology on P-A chest film?
the widest dimension of the heart (transverse diameter) should not exceed the dimension of the thorax (from spinous to lateral chest wall)
Where is perfusion the highest in the lungs?
In the lower lung fields due to gravity & the lung base being thicker
On the P-A chest film, what 2 things are superimposed?
the scapulae & the clavicles
