Articles
Articles are a collaborative effort to provide a single canonical page on all topics relevant to the practice of radiology. As such, articles are written and continuously improved upon by countless contributing members. Our dedicated editors oversee each edit for accuracy and style. Find out more about articles.
More than 200 results
Article
Focal interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
Focal interstitial pulmonary fibrosis refers to a manifestation of pulmonary fibrosis where changes are confined and localised to a small region of the lung, they can arise from a range of aetiologies with one rather common example being osteophyte induced adjacent pulmonary atelectasis and fibr...
Article
Right lower lobe collapse
Right lower lobe (RLL) collapse forms a triangular opacity extending from the hilum to the diaphragm. There is less overlap with the heart shadow compared to left lower lobe collapse.
Findings of lower lobe collapse can be grouped together as they are almost identical on both sides.
For a gen...
Article
Aortic arch
The aortic arch represents the direct continuation of the ascending aorta and represents a key area for a review of normal variant anatomy and a wide range of pathological processes that range from congenital anomalies to traumatic injury.
Summary
origin: continuation of the ascending aorta at...
Article
Stanford classification of aortic dissection
The Stanford classification, along with the DeBakey classification, is used to separate aortic dissections into those that need surgical repair, and those that usually require only medical management 7.
Both the Stanford and DeBakey systems can be used to describe all forms of an acute aortic s...
Article
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Congenital diaphragmatic herniation (CDH) accounts for a small proportion of all diaphragmatic herniae. However, it is one of the most common non-cardiac fetal intrathoracic anomalies.
Epidemiology
Congenital diaphragmatic hernias are seen in 1 of every 2000-4000 live births. 84% are left-side...
Article
Tension pneumothorax
Tension pneumothoraces occur when progressive accumulation of intrapleural gas causes haemodynamic compromise 10. Urgent placement of a pleural drain can be life-saving and avert cardiorespiratory arrest.
For a general discussion, refer to the pneumothorax article.
Terminology
A simple pneumo...
Article
Lemierre syndrome
Lemierre syndrome, also known as postanginal septicaemia, refers to thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein(s) with distant metastatic anaerobic septicaemia in the setting of initial bacterial oropharyngeal infection such as pharyngitis/tonsillitis into lateral pharyngeal spaces of the nec...
Article
Miliary lung nodules (mnemonic)
The list of differential diagnoses for miliary lung nodules can be recalled with the mnemonic:
TEMPEST
Mnemonic
TEMPEST
T: tuberculosis
E: eosinophilic granuloma
M: metastases (especially thyroid)
P: pneumoconiosis
E: extrinsic allergic alveolitis (now known as hypersensitivity pneumonit...
Article
Cervical rib
Cervical ribs are supernumerary or accessory ribs arising from the seventh cervical vertebra. They occur in ~0.5% of the population, are usually bilateral, but often asymmetric 2, and are more common in females.
Related pathology
Although cervical ribs are usually asymptomatic, they are the mo...
Article
Multinodular goitre
Multinodular goitre (MNG) is defined as an enlarged thyroid gland (i.e. goitre) due to multiple nodules which may have normal, decreased or increased function.
Terminology
When increased activity and hyperthyroidism are present then the condition is referred to as a toxic multinodular goitre ...
Article
Lung cancer (staging - IASLC 7th edition) (historical)
The IASLC (International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer) 7th edition lung cancer staging system was proposed in 2010 and has now been updated and superseded by the 8th edition, published in 2016.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) used to be staged di...
Article
Azygos vein
The azygos vein is a unilateral vessel that ascends in the thorax to the right of the vertebral column, carrying deoxygenated blood from the posterior chest and abdominal walls. It forms part of the azygos venous system.
Terminology
The spelling azygous when referring to the vein is incorrect,...
Article
Epipericardial fat necrosis
Epipericardial fat necrosis (also sometimes purely categorised as pericardial fat necrosis or epicardial fat necrosis) is a rare self-limiting cause of acute pleuritic pain in an otherwise healthy individual, without fever or cough. It occurs external to the pericardium.
Clinical presentation
...
Article
Stove-in chest
A stove-in chest is a rare and complex type of flail chest injury where the flail segment collapses into the chest. It is usually due to severe blunt trauma to the chest wall and is rarely encountered in imaging or emergency medicine due to the high mortality at the scene. It may evolve over day...
Article
Peripartum/postpartum cardiomyopathy
Peripartum/postpartum cardiomyopathy is a dilated cardiomyopathy that may occur in the last trimester of pregnancy through the first several months postpartum.
Epidemiology
The estimated incidence in the United States ranges from one in 900 to one in 4000 live births, with an increased inciden...
Article
Typical pulmonary carcinoid tumours
Typical pulmonary carcinoid tumours are considered the more common and more benign low grade form of peripheral pulmonary carcinoid tumours. There is little or no known association between typical carcinoid tumours and tobacco use or exposure to other carcinogens which contrasts to atypical carc...
Article
Tuberculous bronchostenosis
Tuberculous bronchostenosis is a potential complication that can occur from endobronchial tuberculosis, especially in a chronic form.
Pathology
Bronchostenosis usually begins as simple erythema and oedema with lymphocytic submucosal infiltration followed by tubercle formation. Destruction and ...
Article
Rib notching
Rib notching refers to deformation of the superior or inferior surface of the rib. It can affect a single rib (from trauma or solitary masses e.g. schwannoma) or can affect multiple ribs.
Differential diagnosis
The differentials differ according to whether it is the superior or inferior surfac...
Article
Bronchial stenosis
Bronchial stenosis, or bronchial strictures, are descriptive terms to denote regions of focal narrowing involving the bronchi. They can arise from a wide variety of aetiologies.
Pathology
Aetiology
It can arise from a large range of aetiological factors, which include:
tracheobronchial malig...
Article
Pleural mouse
A pleural mouse (plural: pleural mice), also known as a fibrin body is a 1-2 cm mobile rounded clump of fibrin left over after resolution of a pleural effusion 1.