Radiographic Interpretation of the Respiratory Tract Flashcards
when an animal is in lateral recumbency, which lung collapses?
down lung
what do we evaluate in radiographs of the thorax?
extrathoracic structures/thoracic wall
mediastinum
diaphragm
pleural space
lungs, including pulmonary vasculature
cardiac silhouette
how can you distinguish between a thoracic wall mass and a lung mass?
will deform thoracic wall
may cause rib destruction
extrapleural sign: obtuse angle or curve where mass meets wall (pulmonary will form acute)
where does the mediastinum extend?
thoracic inlet to diaphragm
spine to sternum
what are some mediastinal abnormalities?
cranial mediastinal mass
mediastinal shift
what can cause mediastinal shift?
collapse of lung (important)
increased volume of lung/hemithorax
mass
how can you distinguish a mediastinal mass from a lung mass?
on midline, wider than spine
trachea may be deviated
may compress trachea or lungs
how can you distinguish an esophageal mass?
on midline, dorsal in area of trachea
contrast study- esophagogram
what are some tracheal abnormalities?
collapsing trachea
hypoplastic trachea
other causes of tracheal narrowing
tracheal foreign body
tracheal mass
extrathoracic tracheal collapse happens on _________________
inspiration
intrathoracic tracheal collapse happens on ________________
expiration
how do you recognize a pneumothorax on a radiograph?
lungs retracted
increased lucency un pleural space
increased opacity of collapsed lung
heart separated from sternum
how do you recognize pleural effusion on a radiograph?
widened interlobar fissures
lungs retracted
increased opacity of pleural space
poor visualization of cardiac silhouette and diaphragm
scalloped ventral lung margins
what are the abnormal lung patterns?
vascular
bronchial
interstitial
alveolar
what happens in a vascular pattern?
too many vessels
vessels too large
how large should the caudal vessels be on a VD/DV?
equal in diameter to the 9th rib as they cross it
what do big veins and normal-sized arteries indicate?
left-sided congestive heart failure
what do large arteries and normal veins indicate?
heartworm disease
what do big arteries and veins indicate?
fluid overload
left to right shunting: PDA
what does a bronchial pattern look like?
train tracks or donuts
can see bronchi walls
what does a bronchial pattern indicate?
airway disease of allergic, infectious or parasitic origin
what is bronchiectasis?
dilation of an airway
irreversible
cylindrical or saccular
what does an interstitial pattern indicate?
fluid, cells, or fibrous tissue in interstitial space
what are the options for a structured interstitial pattern?
micronodules: 1-2mm
nodules: <3cm
masses: >3cm
cavitated
what causes an alveolar pattern?
lung filled with crud
collapsed: atelectasis
decreased volume of air in lungs
what is an alveolar pattern?
increased pulmonary opacity to the point where vessels cannot be distinguished
what can cause atelectasis?
recumbency
bronchial obstruction
how do you distinguish between atelectasis and consolidation?
consolidated lung will be normal size
atelectic lung will be smaller, mediastinal shift
which lung lobes will pneumonia go to?
ventral/cranioventral
right middle
where do you see cardiogenic edema?
starts perihilar and spreads everywhere
cats can have anywhere
where do you see noncardiogenic edema?
caudodorsal lung fields
where do you see edema in the lungs?
anywhere
how do you distinguish an interstitial pattern from an alveolar pattern?
can still see vessels with interstitial pattern
