Chest radiograph

Chest x-ray called a radiograph of the chest in a straight or lateral view ( level). It is a routine examination. With her ​​are assessed:

  • Lung
  • Heart size
  • Mediastinum ( mediastinal )
  • Pleura ( pleura )
  • Diaphragm
  • Bony chest with ribs, sternum ( breastbone) and thoracic spine

Indications

For clarification / to the exclusion of the following diseases, the chest radiograph is suitable:

  • Pneumonia (CAP )
  • Pneumothorax
  • Pleural effusion ( hemothorax, chylothorax )
  • Emphysema

Beam path

In the chest X-ray, there are different optical paths, ie different ways to the direction from which the rays penetrate into the body. The recordings are usually made in hard radiation technique.

  • Pa - projection (posterior - anterior): a source behind the thorax, detector / film before ( usually when the patient standing )
  • Anteroposterior projection (anterior -posterior). ray source in front of the thorax, detector / film behind it ( usually the patient is lying down, for example in intensive care this can appear magnified by the other projection structures, since they are closer to the radiation source is also the total distance. the source of radiation to the patient when shooting in a bed of small, so that results in a greater magnification. )
  • Ll- projection ( latero - lateral): lateral projection, with respect to the detector / film either right or left fitting. This beam is used in veterinary medicine the most used because the chest is " compressed " side in animals.

In practice, the chest X-ray is usually taken in two planes, namely pa and left fitting. These projections, the distortion of the shadow in the heart compared to the other projections, is relatively low. In bedridden patients in very poor general condition usually only one ap - recording is performed.

Possible pathological changes

  • Lung tumors, pulmonary edema, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis
  • Pneumothorax, chylothorax
  • Heart conditions such as pericardial effusion ( haemopericardium, Chyloperikard ) or cardiomyopathy
  • Diseases of the aorta (eg, aneurysm )
  • Diseases of the trachea as tracheal
  • Esophageal diseases such as megaesophagus
Tracheal collapse
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