Lecture 1 Thorax

Question 1

Left lateral at inspiration diaphragmatic crura:

at expiration:

Answer 1

come back to T12/T13

Caudal dorsal vasculature visible, and visible radioluscent triangle of accesory lung lobe.

T11

Question 2

Right lateral at inspiration diaphragmatic crura:

At expiration:

Answer 2

Come back to T13 / L1

T11 / T12

Question 3

Appearance of viscera in R lateral recumbency in cats and small breed dogs:

Answer 3

Heart: Egg-shaped, pointed apex

Diaphragmatic crura: parallel each other

Cranial lobar pulmonary vasculature crisscross

Will see pathology from L side better (opposite from down side)

Question 4

Left Lateral radiograph visceral orientation:

Answer 4

Heart: more oval

Diaphragmatic crura diverge

Caudal vena cava seen passing by dependant crus

Cranial lung lobe vasculatrue (R and L) are parallel

Question 5

Ventral dorsal radiograph visceral orientation

Answer 5

Heart enlongated

Gap between apex of heart and diaphragmatic cuppula

Question 6

Dorsal ventral radiograph visceral orientation:

Answer 6

Overlap between heart and diapragm

Question 7

Spondelosis deformans

Answer 7

ventral and lateral osseous proliferation which is a degenerative change of intervertebral disk space,

anatomic variance

Question 8

perioarticular osteophytes common at

Answer 8

Caudal portion of glenohumoral joint

Question 9

costochondral changes

Answer 9

oval shape mineral opacities

Question 10

Brachyocephalic breeds commonly have

Answer 10

Vertebral abnormalities, fusions, spina bifida, transitional segments

Question 11

Pleural changes

Answer 11

Pleural thickening = fibrosis

Pleural fissure line along cardiac silhouette in left lateral recumbancy

Question 12

Cats frequently get

Answer 12

Right middle lung lobe

Usually associated with asthma

Batwing something….

Question 13

Age related anatomic variance in cats

Answer 13

cardiac silhouette lays down along sternum (lazy heart syndrome)

Aortic arch may become elongated and creatate a knob next to heart

Enlargement of pulmonary arteries

Question 14

Chondrodystrophic dogs and pleural signs

Answer 14

Added soft tissue opacity medial to pleural space on DV or VD rads

Costochondral junction juts into thorax

Question 15

Analyzing pleural signs

Answer 15

Is it:

Normal anatomic variant?

Secondary to pathological change?

Question 16

Young animals

Answer 16

Thymus (Sail sign VD) in front of heart in lateral

Open physes

Question 17

Dorsal aspect of mediastinum:

Ventral aspect of mediastinum:

Answer 17

Dorsal: all our structures: esophagus, trachea, etc

Ventral: Thymus and Sternal lymph nodes

Question 18

Fat deposition dog:

Answer 18

Fissure between right cranial and right middle lung lobes

Widening of cranial mediastinum

Ventrally in pleural space

Question 19

Fat deposition in cats:

Answer 19

Subpericardial and pleural position (different opacity of heart still can distinguish except with lypoma I think)

Question 20

Geriatric canine changes

Answer 20

Osteomas / osseous metaplasia in subparietal places (also common in shelties and collies)

Pulmonary fibrosis

Bronchial wall changes: airways mineralized and easy to see (age or cushings related)

Question 21

Plate-like Atelectasis

Answer 21

Sub lumbar fissures, lateral recumbency

Not clinically relevant

Focal area of atelectasis

Question 22

Esophageal changes

Answer 22

Gas: brachiocephalics and sharpes (comma shaped gas patterned ventral to trachea) - called a reductant esophagus

Usually esophagus is not seen in rads

Hiatal hernia

Question 23

Hiatuses

Answer 23

Aortic: most dorsal

Esophagus: in middle, usually not seen

Caval: most ventral

Question 24

Trachea variants

Answer 24

1. hump with neck flexed
2. redundant dorsal tracheal membrane

Question 25

Humanoid position

Answer 25

To see cranial lung fields better

Question 26

Pneumoperitoneum

Answer 26

Gas behind the diaphragm

Radioluscent spots

Also able to see caudal aspect of diaphragm

Means rupture of hollow viscous = sx emergency

Question 27

Indication of wonkiness in abdomen

Answer 27

enlargement of the sternal lympth nodes

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture

Hyperinflation / lower airway trapping

Question 28

Aggressive osseous lesions

Answer 28

Dont forget scapula

Look for lysis, zone of transition, cortical continuity

Question 30

Discospondelytis

Answer 30

Narrowing, lysis and sclerosis

Seen with systemic aspergillis (german shepherds)

Also possible in endosternebral disk spaces

Question 31

Pleural space

Answer 31

Between parietal pleura and visceral pleura

Pleural space not seen radiographically

Fluid, gas, masses, diaphragmatic rupture, extrapleural sign….?

Question 32

Pleural effusion

Answer 32

abnormal accumulation of fluid in pleural space

Radiopaqueness displacing lungs

Large volume causes border effacement

Question 33

Pneumothorax

Answer 33

Raduioluscency displacing lungs and creeping into fissures

Retraction of cardiac silhouette

Be wary of skin folds and overexposure…can fake a pneumo

Question 34

abnormalities to asses (big questions):

Answer 34

1. Pneumoperitoneum?
2. Abnormalities associated with the stomach or liver?
3. Any osseous aggressive lesions?
4. Soft tissues (neck)?
5. Rib lesions? Easiest to miss.
6. Pleural effusions
7. Pleural mass
8. Plueral gas
9. Diaphragmatic rupture
10. Is there an extra pleural sign?

Question 35

Caudal Vena Cava goes into

Answer 35

Right diaphragmatic crus

Question 36

Moderate Pleural effusion

Answer 36

Border effacement

Pleural fissures lines-specific locations

Retraction of lung lobes by fluid

Triangular appearance to the lung lobes

Pleural effusion more opaque than the lung lobes

Question 37

Severe Effusion

Answer 37

Border effacement

More severe retraction of the lung lobes

Atelectasis of lung lobes

Widening of pleural fissures

Question 38

Pleural effusion Etiologies

Answer 38

Transudate-low cells and protein

Modified translated-mild to moderate elevation in cells or protein

Exudate-elevation in cell numbers and protein

Repeat radiographs after therapeutic and dx thoracocentesis

Question 39

Chronic effusions

Answer 39

Chylothorax, neoplastic effusion, diaphragmatic rupture, lung lobe torsion

Rounding of lung lobe

Pleural peel