General Flashcards
Pulmonary Lobes
Right Upper Lobe Right Middle Lobe Right Lower Lobe Left Upper Lobe Left Lower Lobe
Right upper lobe segments
(AAP) clockwise
- Apical - Anterior - Posterior
Right middle lobe segment
- (LM) clockwise
- Lateral
- Medial
- Lateral
Right Lower Lobe Segment
(SM-PAL) going clockwise
- Superior - Medial Basal - Posterior Basal - Anterior Basal - Lateral Basal
Left Upper Lobe Segment
(ISAA) going clockwise
- Apical Posterior - Apical Anterior - Superior Lingula - Inferior Lingula
Left Lower Lobe Segment
(SM-PAL) going clockwise
- Superior - Medial Basal - Posterior Basal - Anterior Basal - Lateral Basal
Azygous Fissure
Accessory fissure present in less than 1% of patients, seen in the presence of an azygos lobe. An azygos lobe is an anatomic variant where the right upper lobe apical or posterior segments are encased in their own parietal and visceral pleura
Atelectasis
Loss of lung volume due to decreased aeration
Synonymous with Collapse
Direct Signs of Atelectasis
Due to lobar volume loss and include:
- Displacement of the fissures - Vascular crowding
Indirect Signs of Atelectasis
Due to the effect of volume loss on adjacent structures
- Elevation of the diaphragm - Rib crowding on the side the volume loss - Mediastinal shift to the side with volume loss - Over-inflation of adjacent or contralateral lobes - Hilar displacement
Air bronchograms are not seen in atelectasis when
The cause of the atelectasis is central bronchial obstruction, but air bronchograms can be seen in subsegmental atelectasis.
Subsegmental atelectasis
Is caused by obstruction of small peripheral bronchi, usually by secretions
What are the four mechanisms of atelectasis
ORCA
- Obstructive - Relaxation - Cicatricial - Adhesive
When Does Obstructive Atelectasis Occur
Occurs when alveolar gas is absorbed by blood circulating through the alveolar capillaries but is not replaced by inspired air due to bronchial obstruction
Obstructive atelectasis occurs more quickly when the patient is breathing supplemental oxygen why?
Oxygen is absorbed from the alveoli more rapidly than nitrogen
In children airway obstruction is often due to aspirated foreign objects. What do you see on xray
In contrast to adults, the affected side becomes hyper-expanded in children due to the ball-valve effect
Subsegmental atelectasis is a subtype of obstructive atelectasis commonly seen after surgery or general illness
what is it due to?
Mucus obstruction of the small airways
What is relaxation/compressive atelectasis
-Atelectasis is caused by relaxation of the lung adjacent to an intrathoracic lesion causing mass effect, such as pleural effusion, pneumothorax, or pulmonary mass
What is adhesive atelectasis
-Due to surfactant deficiency. Most commonly seen in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome but can also be seen in ARDS
What is Cicatricial atelectasis
-Volume loss from architectural distortion of the lung parenchyma by fibrosis
Cause of Lobar Atelectasis
-Usually caused by central bronchial obstruction (obstructive atelectasis) which may be secondary to mucus plugging or an obstructing neoplasm
Pathology of Lobar Atelectasis on the basis of whether it is acute versus chronic
- If the lobar atelectasis occurs acutely, mucus plugging is the most likely cause
- If the lobar atelectasis is seen in an outpatient setting an obstructing central tumor must be ruled out
-Lobar atelectasis or collapse of an entire lobe has characteristic appearances depending on which of the five lobes is collapsed
Frontal Radiograph
The upper lobes go up
The right middle lobe compresses in
The lower lobe compresses medially
Lateral Radiograph
The upper and lower lobes form a superior and inferior sandwich and the right middle lobe forms a medial sandwich
Left upper lobe collapse
-The luftsichel (air-sickle in german) sign of left upper lobe collapse is a crescent of air seen on frontal radiograph which represents the interface between the aorta and the hyper expanded superior segment of the left lower lobe