Week 1 - Lung Patterns

Question 1

What are the four lung patterns?

Answer 1

1. Bronchiole
2. Interstitial (diffuse or nodular)
3. Vascular
4. Alveolar

Question 2

Explain the bronchiole lung pattern

Answer 2

Bronchi more prominent

Thick/mineral opacity e.g. Bronchitis

Appearance: donuts or tramlines

Question 3

Explain the interstitial lung pattern

Answer 3

1. Structure discrete nodules e.g. neoplasia
2. Unstructured ‘mist’ but can still see soft tissues (vessels and cardiac silhouette) e.g. aging changes

Question 4

Explain the vascular lung pattern

Answer 4

Can see vessels normally

Abnormal:
Vein/artery enlarged or smaller
Enlarged = fluid overload
Small = hypovolaemia, right-left shunt

Question 5

Explain the alveolar lung pattern

Answer 5

Alveoli soft tissues opacity instead of gas opacity

Air bronchograms and boarder obliteration (of the heart) -> cannot pass through fluid in the alveolar

e.g. haemorrhage, pus, fluid, parasites

Question 6

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 6

Bronchiole -> tramlines - thickened bronchiole walls

Question 7

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 7

Interstitial - diffuse ‘mist’

Question 8

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 8

Interstitial - nodular

Question 9

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 9

Alveolar

Question 10

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 10

Alveolar

DV radiograph there is boarder obliteration of the heart. This indicates that there is something other than air in the alveolar.

Question 11

What is wrong with this radiograph?

Answer 11

Pleural effusion

Lateral - loss of air in the cranial lung lobes, air has risen in the caudal lung lines and fluid has dropped to the bottom of the chest.

DV = fluid in the chest

Question 12

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 12

Bronchiole

DV = donuts

Lateral = tramlines

Question 13

What lung pattern is this?

Answer 13

Interstitial = nodular

Question 14

What is wrong with this radiograph?

Answer 14

Tracheal collapse

(Enlarged liver - pushing diaphragm forward slightly)