Learning Radiology Chapter 2

These are invisible on plain-film because they are thin walled, filled with air, and surrounded by air.

These are formed by enfolding of the visceral pleura. Usually no thicker than a line drawn with the point of a sharpened pencil.

The retrosternal clear space, hilar region, fissures, thoracic spine, diaphragm, and posterior costophrenic sulci are the five key areas of this imaging type.

Lucency behind the sternum and anterior to the aorta. Fills when mediastinal mass is present.

Normally, this is seen in a lateral chest x-ray.

Boundaries of the major fissures are from this vertebra to what point?

Causes of thickening of the fissures on a chest x-ray.

The vertebral bodies in a lateral chest x-ray should be this.

Each intervertebral disk does this when compared to the one above it on a lateral Chest x-ray.

This hemidiaphragm is normally higher than the other and it extends all the way from anterior to posterior.

This hemidiaphragm is silhouetted by the heart, so it doesn't reach fully anterior to posterior on lateral film. It's usually lower than the other hemidiaphragm.

Amount of fluid necessary to blunt the costophrenic angle on lateral film.

Amount of fluid necessary to blunt the costophrenic angle on frontal film.

The five technical factors affecting chest radiograph adequacy.

Adequate if the spine is visible through the heart.

Adequate if at least eight to nine posterior ribs are visible.

Seen in AP films (portable chest x-rays), making the heart appear larger.

Based on the S-Shape of the clavical which should superimpose on the 3rd or 4th rib.

Immediately more apparent to the eye on frontal chest radiographs.

Orientation of posterior ribs.

Each pair of posterior ribs attach to these.

More difficult to see on frontal chest radiographs.

Anterior ribs are oriented this way.

Anterior ribs attach to this or to eachother with cartilage, which may not be visible until later in lige when the cartilage may calcify.

What is the solution to interpreting a rotated chest x-ray image?

The heart is magnified in this type of chest x-ray.

Objects in a chest x-ray are truer to their actual size if they are this.

These studies are almost always AP.

How does greater distance affect magnification in a chest x-ray?

Results from taking x-rays in hospitalized patients in beds. x-ray beam may enter the thorx with the patient's head and thorax tilted backwards.

What does the apical lordotic view do to anterior and posterior structures?