Normal chest x ray

The Lungs Each lung is divided into lobes surrounded by pleura. There are two lobes on the left: the upper and lower, separated by the major (oblique) fissure; and three on the right: the upper, middle and lower lobes, separated by the major (oblique) and minor (horizontal) fissures. The fissures are frequently incomplete, particularly medially, containing localised defects which form an alveolar pathway for collateral air drift and the spread of disease. For a fissure to be visualised on conventional radiographs, the X-ray beam must be tangential to the fissure. In most people, some of the minor fissure is seen in the frontal projection, but neither major fissure can be identified. In the lateral view, both the major and minor fissures are often identified, but usually only part of any fissure is seen; in fact, it is very unusual to see both left and right major fissures in their entirety. The major fissures have similar anatomy on the two sides. They run obliquely anteriorly and inferiorly from approximately the fifth thoracic vertebra to pass through the hilum and contact the diaphragm 0–3cm behind the anterior costophrenic angle. Each major fissure follows a gently curving plane somewhat similar to a propeller blade ( FIGURE 9-1 The position and shape of the major fissures (arrows) in the lower and the upper zones is best shown by CT. Note that above the hila, the major fissures bow backwards (B, C), whereas below the hila, the major fissures bow forwards (D to H). The...

X-rays are the Every year medical personnel perform Chest x-rays in particular can be used to identify Check out “ Chest X-Ray Coloration The Ribs Anterior vs. Posterior Ribs. Here I’ve added yellow and blue lines to show the difference between the anterior sections of the ribs (front, in yellow) and posterior sections of the ribs (back, in blue). Recall that the ribs wrap all the way around the front and the back of the chest to protect the lungs and heart. On a chest x-ray, you can see both the front sections and the back sections of the ribs, just like the shadow of a cage projected onto a wall. Here, the anterior ribs are underlined in yellow, and point more diagonally downwards. If you feel your own rib cage in the front, you can recognize the downward-pointing angle. The posterior ribs are underlined in light blue, and look more horizontal. See if you can identify the back ribs on the side where the front ribs are highlighted, and if you can identify the front ribs on the side where the back ribs are highlighted. Heart, Great Vessels, etc. Here, I’ve outlined a few more structures: • Heart and Great Vessels: The heart and some of the great vessels (including the aorta) are outlined in red. Recall that in most people the heart points down and to the left, which you can see here. The left side of the patient is the right side of the picture. • Diaphragm: The diaphragm is the thin dome-shaped muscle that helps with breathing (and hiccups). It is outlined in orange. It s...

Key points • Visible anatomical structures in the chest should be assessed on every chest X-ray • Each of these anatomical structures should be viewed using a systematic approach • There are also important structures that are obscured or become visible only when abnormal Related tutorials • • • • This tutorial describes the important anatomical structures visible on a chest X-ray. These structures are discussed in a specific order to help you develop your own By the end of the tutorial you will be familiar with all the important visible structures of the chest, which should be checked whenever you look at a chest X-ray. The tutorial also discusses anatomical structures that are not easily seen, but become visible when abnormal due to disease. You will learn more about these structures and diseases in the tutorial on Before you start, have a look at the normal chest X-ray below. Hover on/off image to show/hide findings Tap on/off image to show/hide findings Click image to align with top of page Normal chest X-ray anatomy • How many anatomical structures can you name on this X-ray? • Can you think of any important structures in the chest that are difficult to see on the X-ray? Visible structures • 1 - Trachea • 2 - Hilum (hila) • 3 - Lungs • 4 - Diaphragm • 5 - Heart • 6 - Aortic knuckle • 7 - Ribs • 8 - Scapulae • 9 - Breasts • 10 - Bowel gas Important obscured/invisible structures • Sternum • Oesophagus • Spine • Pleura • Fissures • Aorta Your course assessment certificate...

Overview An X-ray is a quick, painless test that produces images of the structures inside your body — particularly your bones. X-ray beams pass through your body, and they are absorbed in different amounts depending on the density of the material they pass through. Dense materials, such as bone and metal, show up as white on X-rays. The air in your lungs shows up as black. Fat and muscle appear as shades of gray. X-ray of swallowed jack X-rays can locate metal objects your child has swallowed, such as this jack. X-ray technology is used to examine many parts of the body. Bones and teeth • Fractures and infections. In most cases, fractures and infections in bones and teeth show up clearly on X-rays. • Arthritis. X-rays of your joints can reveal evidence of arthritis. X-rays taken over the years can help your doctor determine if your arthritis is worsening. • Dental decay. Dentists use X-rays to check for cavities in your teeth. • Osteoporosis. Special types of X-ray tests can measure your bone density. • Bone cancer. X-rays can reveal bone tumors. Chest • Lung infections or conditions. Evidence of pneumonia, tuberculosis or lung cancer can show up on chest X-rays. • Breast cancer. Mammography is a special type of X-ray test used to examine breast tissue. • Enlarged heart. This sign of congestive heart failure shows up clearly on X-rays. • Blocked blood vessels. Injecting a contrast material that contains iodine can help highlight sections of your circulatory system to make ...

You may also be interested in our Confirm details Begin chest X-ray interpretation by checking the following details: • Patient details: name, date of birth and unique identification number. • Date and time the film was taken • Previous imaging: useful for comparison. Assess image quality Next, you should assess the quality of the image: a mnemonic you may find useful is ‘ RIPE’. Rotation The medial aspect of each clavicle should be equidistant from the spinous processes. The spinous processes should also be in vertically orientated against the vertebral bodies. Inspiration The 5-6 anterior ribs, lung apices, both costophrenic angles and the lateral rib edges should be visible. Projection Note if the film is AP or PA: if there is no label, then assume it’s a PA film (if the scapulae are not projected within the chest, it’s PA). Exposure The left hemidiaphragm should be visible to the spine and the vertebrae should be visible behind the heart. You might also be interested in our over 2000 flashcards that cover clinical examination, procedures, communication skills and data interpretation. ABCDE approach The ABCDE approach can be used to carry out a structured interpretation of a chest X-ray: • Airway: trachea, carina, bronchi and hilar structures. • Breathing: lungs and pleura. • Cardiac: heart size and borders. • Diaphragm: including assessment of costophrenic angles. • Everything else: mediastinal contours, bones, soft tissues, tubes, valves, pacemakers and review areas. ...

What are x-rays and what do they do? X-rays are a form of energy – like light and radio waves. X-rays are also called radiation. Unlike light waves, x-rays have enough energy to pass through your body. As the radiation moves through your body, it passes through bones, tissues, and organs differently. This allows a radiologist to create images of them. The radiologist is a specially trained doctor who can examine these images on a computer display. X-rays allow the radiologist to see the structures in your body in very fine detail. X-ray exams provide valuable information about your health and help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. Your doctor may use x-rays to help place tubes or other devices in your body or to treat disease. See Measuring radiation dosage When radiation passes through the body, some of it is absorbed. The x-rays that are not absorbed are used to create the image. The amount the patient absorbs contributes to the patient's radiation dose. Radiation that passes through the body does not contribute to this dose. The scientific unit of measurement for whole body radiation dose, called "effective dose," is the Doctors use "effective dose" when they talk about the risk of radiation to the entire body. Risk refers to possible side effects, such as the chance of developing a cancer later in life. Effective dose considers how sensitive different tissues are to radiation. If you have an x-ray exam that includes tissues or organs that are more sensitive to ra...

100 Normal Chest X-Rays - developed by David G. Chu, MD - Welcome! This website was created to help introduce medical students to chest radiology. One of the most difficult things to learn when first reading Chest X-Ray (CXR) films is what is "normal" and what is really "active disease." This website aims to help students become comfortable with accepting artifacts of blood vessels as "normal," with the hopes that students will then more easily identify "abnormal" signs of active disease. We have assembled 100 "normal" Chest X-Rays that were given the Diagnosis of "No Active Disease" (NAD) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). By reading this series of Normal CXR, students will learn to appreciate the range of "normal" markings, the basics of CXR reading, and how patient age and sex influence differentials. Use the Navigation Bar to the right to either begin the Learning Module from the begining or jump to any case within the module. Chest X-Ray Teaching Lessons: • Introduction • Anatomy • Soft Tissues and Bone • Black vs. White • Infiltrates vs. Consolidation • Differentials Other Radiology Resources: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • About the Authors: This website was created in 2005 by Dr. David G. Chu and Dr. Wallace Miller, Jr. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. We are especially grateful to Anthony Robertson and Alethea Pena of the University of Penn SOM Web Design Team for their expertise. David G. Chu, MD David G. Chu graduated fr...

You may also be interested in our Confirm details Begin chest X-ray interpretation by checking the following details: • Patient details: name, date of birth and unique identification number. • Date and time the film was taken • Previous imaging: useful for comparison. Assess image quality Next, you should assess the quality of the image: a mnemonic you may find useful is ‘ RIPE’. Rotation The medial aspect of each clavicle should be equidistant from the spinous processes. The spinous processes should also be in vertically orientated against the vertebral bodies. Inspiration The 5-6 anterior ribs, lung apices, both costophrenic angles and the lateral rib edges should be visible. Projection Note if the film is AP or PA: if there is no label, then assume it’s a PA film (if the scapulae are not projected within the chest, it’s PA). Exposure The left hemidiaphragm should be visible to the spine and the vertebrae should be visible behind the heart. You might also be interested in our over 2000 flashcards that cover clinical examination, procedures, communication skills and data interpretation. ABCDE approach The ABCDE approach can be used to carry out a structured interpretation of a chest X-ray: • Airway: trachea, carina, bronchi and hilar structures. • Breathing: lungs and pleura. • Cardiac: heart size and borders. • Diaphragm: including assessment of costophrenic angles. • Everything else: mediastinal contours, bones, soft tissues, tubes, valves, pacemakers and review areas. ...

What are x-rays and what do they do? X-rays are a form of energy – like light and radio waves. X-rays are also called radiation. Unlike light waves, x-rays have enough energy to pass through your body. As the radiation moves through your body, it passes through bones, tissues, and organs differently. This allows a radiologist to create images of them. The radiologist is a specially trained doctor who can examine these images on a computer display. X-rays allow the radiologist to see the structures in your body in very fine detail. X-ray exams provide valuable information about your health and help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. Your doctor may use x-rays to help place tubes or other devices in your body or to treat disease. See Measuring radiation dosage When radiation passes through the body, some of it is absorbed. The x-rays that are not absorbed are used to create the image. The amount the patient absorbs contributes to the patient's radiation dose. Radiation that passes through the body does not contribute to this dose. The scientific unit of measurement for whole body radiation dose, called "effective dose," is the Doctors use "effective dose" when they talk about the risk of radiation to the entire body. Risk refers to possible side effects, such as the chance of developing a cancer later in life. Effective dose considers how sensitive different tissues are to radiation. If you have an x-ray exam that includes tissues or organs that are more sensitive to ra...

The Lungs Each lung is divided into lobes surrounded by pleura. There are two lobes on the left: the upper and lower, separated by the major (oblique) fissure; and three on the right: the upper, middle and lower lobes, separated by the major (oblique) and minor (horizontal) fissures. The fissures are frequently incomplete, particularly medially, containing localised defects which form an alveolar pathway for collateral air drift and the spread of disease. For a fissure to be visualised on conventional radiographs, the X-ray beam must be tangential to the fissure. In most people, some of the minor fissure is seen in the frontal projection, but neither major fissure can be identified. In the lateral view, both the major and minor fissures are often identified, but usually only part of any fissure is seen; in fact, it is very unusual to see both left and right major fissures in their entirety. The major fissures have similar anatomy on the two sides. They run obliquely anteriorly and inferiorly from approximately the fifth thoracic vertebra to pass through the hilum and contact the diaphragm 0–3cm behind the anterior costophrenic angle. Each major fissure follows a gently curving plane somewhat similar to a propeller blade ( FIGURE 9-1 The position and shape of the major fissures (arrows) in the lower and the upper zones is best shown by CT. Note that above the hila, the major fissures bow backwards (B, C), whereas below the hila, the major fissures bow forwards (D to H). The...