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
Thoracic lymph node stations
Thoracic lymph nodes are divided into 14 stations as defined by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 1, principally in the context of oncologic staging. For the purpose of prognostication, the stations may be grouped into seven zones. The IASLC definitions leave so...
Article
Spinnaker sign (mediastinum)
The spinnaker sign (also known as the angel wing sign) is a sign of pneumomediastinum seen on neonatal chest radiographs. It refers to the thymus being outlined by air with each lobe displaced laterally and appearing like spinnaker sails. This is distinct from the sail sign appearance of the nor...
Article
Esophagus
The esophagus (plural: esophagi or esophaguses) is a muscular tube that conveys food and fluids from the pharynx to the stomach. It forms part of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Gross anatomy
The esophagus is 23-37 cm long with a diameter of 1-2 cm and is divided into three parts:
cervical:...
Article
Talcosis
Talcosis is a type of pneumoconiosis and can be prevalent in intravenous drug users. It is one of the four recognized types of talc-induced lung disease.
Pathology
Talc (magnesium silicate) is used in the preparation of tablets intended for oral use, where it acts as a 'filler' and lubricant. ...
Article
Apical cap
Apical caps cover the lung apices and often bilateral. They can be chronic, due to fibrosis or acute due to pleural or extra-pleural fluid.
Epidemiology
The frequency of chronic apical pleural thickening increases with age 3. There may be a slightly greater male predilection 7.
Pathology
Api...
Article
Lung decortication
A lung decortication is a cardiothoracic surgical procedure usually performed for situations such as a chronic thoracic empyema or a chronic hemothorax where a diseased, often chronically infected, pleura is debrided from the adjacent lung and removed. It is also sometimes performed in selected ...
Article
Croup
Croup, also known as acute laryngotracheobronchitis, is due to viral infection of the upper airway by parainfluenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Although imaging findings are not required for the diagnosis, classic findings of narrowing of the subglottic airway and dilatation of ...
Article
Mycobacterium bovis
Mycobacterium bovis is a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and an obligate aerobe bacterium that is the cause of tuberculosis in cattle. M. bovis can also cause tuberculosis in other mammals including humans.
Epidemiology
In the United States, M. bovis accounts for ~ 2% of all n...
Article
Pulmonary mycobacterium parascrofulaceum infection
Pulmonary mycobacterium parascrofulaceum infection results from infection by the species Mycobacterium parascrofulaceum, which is a relatively new species of non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to group 2. Infection by this species is rare and infrequently reported and the lung is cons...
Article
Shrinking lung syndrome
Shrinking lung syndrome refers to a rare thoracic complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) characterized by:
unexplained dyspnea
restrictive pattern on pulmonary function tests
elevated hemidiaphragm
Epidemiology
As with SLE in general, it is thought to carry a increased female pr...
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 intrapleural air accumulates progressively with hemodynamic compromise 10. It is a life-threatening occurrence requiring both rapid recognition and prompt treatment to avoid a cardiorespiratory arrest.
For a general discussion, refer to the pneumothorax article...
Article
Light chain deposition disease (pulmonary manifestations)
Pulmonary light chain deposition disease is a rare manifestation of systemic light chain deposition disease (LCDD).
Pathology
Fragments of immunoglobulin light chains secreted by a plasma clone are deposited as amorphous eosinophilic material in the alveolar walls, small airways, and vessels 2...
Article
Lemierre syndrome
Lemierre syndrome, also known as postanginal septicemia, refers to thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein(s) with distant metastatic anaerobic septicemia in the setting of initial bacterial oropharyngeal infection such as pharyngitis/tonsillitis into lateral pharyngeal spaces of the neck ...
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 goiter
Multinodular goiter (MNG) is defined as an enlarged thyroid gland (i.e. goiter) 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 goiter ...
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