Presentation
Elderly female attends hospital acutely short of breath.
Patient Data
Age: 75 years
Gender: Female
From the case:
Bat's wings of pulmonary edema
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Bilateral perihilar consolidation in a 'bat's wing' configuration.
Supine projection does not allow comment on heart size.
No pleural effusions.
Case Discussion
Heart failure on the chest x-ray has several well-described appearances.
a. Cardiomegaly
b. Pleural effusions
c. Upper lobe venous distension
d. Interlobular septal (Kerley B) lines
e. Perihilar consolidation
In only a small portion of usually the most severe cases of pulmonary edema are the bat's wings appearance observed.