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.
161 results found
Article
Right lower lobe collapse
Right lower lobe (RLL) collapse has distinctive features, and is usually relatively easily identified. The smaller overlying heart shadow obscures less lung compared with left lower lobe collapse.
Findings of lower lobe collapse can be grouped together as they are almost identical on both side...
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 etiologies.
Pathology
Etiology
It can arise from a large range of etiological factors, which include:
tracheobronchial malignan...
Article
Medical devices in the thorax
Medical devices in the thorax are regularly observed by radiologists when reviewing radiographs and CT scans.
Extrathoracic devices
tubing, clamps, syringes, scissors, lying on or under the patient
rubber sheets, foam mattresses, clothing, hair braids, nipple piercings, etc., may also be visi...
Article
Right paratracheal lymphadenopathy
Right paratracheal lymphadenopathy represents pathological involvement of any of the lymph nodes in the right upper (2R) and/or lower (4R) paratracheal nodal groups 1. These nodes are often also enlarged but this is not always the case.
The commonest causes are sarcoidosis, tuberculosis and lun...
Article
Inferior vena caval contrast reflux
Reflux of contrast into inferior vena cava can be common findings seen on CT. It is considered a specific but insensitive sign of right-sided heart disease / right heart dysfunction at low contrast injection rates although the usefulness decreases with high injection rates.
Conditions associate...
Article
Calcifying pulmonary metastases
Calcifying pulmonary metastases are rare. These should not be confused with metastatic pulmonary calcification.
Pathology
Calcification in metastases can arise through a variety of mechanisms: bone formation in tumors of osteoid origin, calcification and ossification of tumor cartilage, dystro...
Article
Chronic interstitial pneumonitis
Chronic interstitial pneumonitis is a broad descriptive term where an interstitial pneumonia has a prolonged course. It can arise from a range of etiologies. The term does not usually imply a specific radiographic pattern and includes UIP, NSIP or other patterns. As a general rule, there is litt...
Article
Subpulmonic effusion
Subpulmonic effusions (also known as subpulmonary effusions) are pleural effusions that can be seen only on an erect projection. Rather than layering laterally and blunting of the costophrenic angle, the pleural fluid lies almost exclusively between the lung base and the diaphragm.
Radiographic...
Article
Peribronchovascular thickening
Peribronchovascular thickening is a broad imaging descriptive term commonly used to describe thickening of any one or more of the below:
peribronchovascular interstitial thickening
bronchial wall thickening: can be differentiated from true peribronchovascular thickening on cross-sectional imag...
Article
Nodular pleural thickening
Nodular pleural thickening is a form of pleural thickening.
Pathology
Etiology
Most common causes of nodular pleural thickening are malignant and include:
metastatic pleural disease, particularly from adenocarcinomas, e.g.
bronchogenic adenocarcinoma
breast cancer
ovarian cancer
prostate...
Article
Elevated diaphragm
Elevated diaphragm refers to the symmetrical elevation of both domes of the diaphragm.
Pathology
Etiology
There is some overlap with causes of an elevated hemidiaphragm.
Technical
supine position
poor inspiratory effort
Patient factors
obesity
pregnancy
Diaphragmatic pathology
paral...
Article
Centrilobular lung nodules
Centrilobular lung nodules refer to a HRCT chest imaging descriptor for small 5-10 mm lung nodules which are anatomically located centrally within secondary pulmonary lobules. The term is applied on the basis of location of the nodule and not its morphology, that is they may be well-defined or p...
Article
Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias
The idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) are diffuse interstitial lung diseases of unknown cause. They are characterized by cellular infiltration of the interstitial compartment of the lung with varying degrees of inflammation and fibrosis.
Classification
Over the years many attempts have...
Article
Traversal of lung fissures
Only a small number of pulmonary diseases are known to directly traverse the lung fissures such that the lung pathology extends from one lobe via an interlobar fissure into an adjacent lobe 1. The finding is most commonly due to primary malignancy, however, some infections are also known to do s...
Article
Coin lesion (lung)
A coin lesion refers to a round or oval, well-circumscribed solitary pulmonary lesion. It is usually 1-5 cm in diameter and calcification may or may not be present 1,3. Typically but not always the patient is asymptomatic 1.
Differential diagnosis
The differential diagnosis for such lesions i...
Article
Diffuse tracheal narrowing
Conditions associated with diffuse tracheal narrowing or collapse include (in alphabetical order):
amyloidosis
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): saber sheath trachea
granulomatosis with polyangiitis
relapsing polychondritis
sarcoidosis
tracheobronchial tuberculosis 3
tracheoma...
Article
Pulmonary necrosis
Pulmonary necrosis is seen in a variety of conditions, including 1:
pulmonary infections
Klebsiella pneumoniae - Klebsiella pneumonia
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae - pulmonary haemophilus influenzae infection
Pseudomonas aeruginosa - pulmonary pseudomonas aeruginosa infe...
Article
Cystic lung lesions (pediatric)
Cystic lesions in pediatric patients are usually congenital lesions and, as such, can be seen antenatally and following delivery.
Pathology
Etiology
Congenital
These congenital lesions are predominantly covered by the overarching diagnosis of bronchopulmonary foregut malformation. This is a ...
Article
Mosaic attenuation pattern in lung
Mosaic attenuation is a descriptive term used in describing a patchwork of regions of differing pulmonary attenuation on CT imaging. It is a non-specific finding, although is associated with the following:
obstructive small airways disease: low attenuation regions are abnormal and reflect two p...
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