Respiratory Pathologies

Question 1

What is pneumonia?

Answer 1

An inflammation of the lungs due to infection

Question 2

What happens in pneumonia?

Answer 2

The alveoli and bronchioles become inflamed and fill with fluid (usually purulent)

Question 3

What is pneumonia caused by?
(3)

Answer 3

Bacteria

Virus

Or fungi

Question 4

What is the initial imaging for pneumonia?

Answer 4

Chest x-ray

Question 5

What is used for further investigation into pneumonia?

Answer 5

CT

Question 6

What type of pneumonia does this show?

Answer 6

Aspiration pneumonia

Question 7

What causes aspiration pneumonia?

Answer 7

Food is swallowed and goes to the lung, causing an infection. It mainly affects elderly patients

Question 8

What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
(10)

Answer 8

Fever

Sweating and shivering

Cough- productive or dry

Chest pain

Muscle pain

Confusion

Breathing can be rapid and shallow

Shortness of breath

Feeling generally unwell

Loss of appetite

Question 9

What is the treatment for pneumonia?

Answer 9

It depends on the type of pneumonia

Question 10

What is the treatment for bacterial pneumonia?

Answer 10

Antibiotics

Question 11

What is the treatment for viral pneumonia?

Answer 11

Antiviral medication

Question 12

What is the treatment for fungal pneumonia?

Answer 12

Antifungal medicienes

Question 13

What are some general treatments for pneumonia?
(6)

Answer 13

Fever control

Fluids

Rest

Pain medication

Cough relief

Oxygen therapy

Question 14

What is pleural emphyema?

Answer 14

It’s a collection of pus in the pleural cavity

Question 15

What are the features of pleural empyema?
(4)

Answer 15

It may contain gas locules

It’s unilateral

It can cause pneumonia complication or perforated oesophagus

The patient presents with fever, leucocytosis and raised inflammatory markers

Question 16

Was a contrast used during this CT scan?

                 How do we know?

Answer 16

No, because the density of the blood vessels are similar to the density of the bones

Question 17

What is pleural effusion?

Answer 17

An accumulation of fluid in the pleural space

Question 18

What are common causes of pleural effusion?
(2)

Answer 18

Heart failure

Malignancy

Question 19

What does this show?

Answer 19

Pleural effusion

Question 20

What is the initial imaging for a pleural effusion?

Answer 20

Chest x-ray

Question 21

What type of chest imaging is done to investigate pleural effusion?

Answer 21

Erect PA

Question 22

What is the most sensitive part of the chest to pleural effusion?

Answer 22

Lateral decubitus

Question 23

What imaging is used when investigating small amounts of fluid in pleural effusion?

Answer 23

Ultrasound

Question 24

How may the patient be having if they have pleural effusion?
(2)

Answer 24

Can be asymptomatic

If the effusion gets larger, the patient can experience breathlessness and reduced exercise tolerance

Question 25

What’s the treatment for pleural effusion? (3)

Answer 25

Targeted to the underlying condition Very large effusion can be drained This is inserted via ultrasound guidance

Question 26

What are the features of pneumothorax? (4)

Answer 26

It’s the presence of air in the pleural space It can result in the compression of the mediastinum Typically a result of injury to the chest can occur spontaneously Men are more likely to develop primary spontaneous pneumothorax, especially if tall, thin and young adults (15-34 years)

Question 27

What is the initial imaging for pneumothorax?

Answer 27

Chest x-ray

Question 28

What will the chest x-ray look like if the patient has pneumothorax?

Answer 28

No lung marking will be demonstrated where the lung has collapsed