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

Pulmonary valve stenosis

Pulmonary valve stenosis, or pulmonic valve stenosis, is a valvulopathy that describes the narrowing of the opening of the pulmonary valve between the pulmonary trunk and the right ventricle. Epidemiology Pulmonary stenosis is nearly always (95%) congenital, and therefore primarily affects the...
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Meningohypophyseal trunk

The meningohypophyseal trunk, also known as the posterior trunk, is a branch of the C4 (cavernous) segment of the internal carotid artery. In contrast to the inferolateral trunk, it is almost always identified at autopsy. However, due to its small size, the meningohypophyseal trunk is seen only ...
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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...
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Arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse

Arrhythmic or arrhythmogenic mitral valve prolapse is an entity that describes the presence of frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias and mitral valve prolapse, possibly associated with mitral annular disjunction 1-3. The following two major phenotypic subtypes are recognized 1: degenerat...
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Chest x-ray review: ABCDE

Chest x-ray review is a key competency for medical students, junior doctors and other allied health professionals. Using A, B, C, D, E, F is a helpful and systematic method for chest x-ray review: A: airways (intraluminal mass, narrowing, splayed carina) B: breathing (lungs, pulmonary vessels,...
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Pyopneumothorax

Pyopneumothorax, also known as infected hydropneumothorax or empyemic hydropneumothorax, is a pleural collection of pus and gas. It may be thought of a variant of a thoracic empyema with gas-containing components although the etiology may be different. Clinical presentation The patient usually...
Article

Passive atelectasis

Passive atelectasis, also known as relaxation atelectasis, is a form of lung atelectasis due to the loss of the negative pressure state in the pleural space. Clinical presentation The clinical presentation would depend on the extent of atelectasis and how quickly it develops. Small and gradual...
Article

Empyema

An empyema is a purulent exudative collection within a body cavity. They occupy a pre-existing anatomical space. This is in contrast to an abscess, which arises within the parenchymal tissue itself. Terminology Colloquially, the standalone term 'empyema' most often refers to pleural (thoracic)...
Article

Split pleura sign (empyema)

The split pleura sign is seen with pleural empyemas and is considered the most reliable CT sign helping to distinguish an empyema from a peripheral pulmonary abscess (see empyema vs pulmonary abscess) 1,2.  The sign results from fibrin coating both the parietal and visceral surfaces of the pleu...
Article

Ependymoma

Ependymomas represent a relatively broad group of glial tumors with ependymal differentiation. They often arise from or near the lining of the ventricles of the brain or the central canal of the spinal cord but also occur within the brain parenchyma.  Terminology The unqualified term "ependymo...
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Medical abbreviations and acronyms (E)

This article contains a list of commonly used medical abbreviations and acronyms that start with the letter E and may be encountered in medicine and radiology (please keep both the main list and any sublists in alphabetic order). A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q...
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Acromial spur

Acromial spurs have been associated with rotator cuff tears and impingement syndrome although a direct causative link is controversial 4. Terminology If the spur extends inferior, it can be called a subacromial spur. Pathology Acromial spurs usually occur at the lateral part.  In that situat...
Article

Tumoral calcinosis

Tumoral calcinosis, also known as Teutschlaender disease, is a rare familial condition characterized by painless, periarticular masses. The term should be strictly used to refer to a disease caused by a hereditary metabolic dysfunction of phosphate regulation associated with massive periarticula...
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Pericardial cyst

Pericardial cysts are uncommon benign congenital anomalies of the anterior and middle mediastinum. Clinical presentation Patients are usually asymptomatic and these cysts are usually discovered incidentally although occasionally may present with chest pain and dyspnea ref. Pathology Pericard...
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Vitamin D deficiency (overview)

Vitamin D deficiency (also known as hypovitaminosis D) is common, and untreated, may result in serious sequelae. Traditionally its pathological manifestations have been regarded through the lens of skeletal maturity: rickets in children osteomalacia in adults However it has become increasingl...
Article

Adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency

Adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL) deficiency is an autosomal recessive inherited neurometabolic disorder with a defect in purine metabolism 1-3. Epidemiology Adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency is very rare 1,2 with only about 80 cases reported up to 2014 1. Diagnosis Diagnosis relies on genetic a...
Article

Steinstrasse

Steinstrasse [stīn′shtra-se] is the German word for "stone street", describing a possible complication of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for urinary tract calculi, wherein a column of stone fragments forms that blocks the ureter. Terminology The term steinstrasse can equally, alb...
Article

Splenic artery

The splenic artery is one of the three branches of the celiac trunk, which supplies the spleen as well as large parts of the stomach and pancreas. Gross anatomy Origin and course The splenic artery is one of the terminal branches of the celiac trunk, passing left from the celiac axis across t...
Article

Mikulicz syndrome

Mikulicz syndrome , also known as immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis, was at one time considered to be a form of Sjögren syndrome (type 1), however, it is now considered to be on the IgG4-related disease spectrum.  Terminology Mikulicz syndrome may also be referre...
Article

Achilles tendon

The Achilles or calcaneal tendon is the strongest and largest tendon of the human body. It is also one of the most common tendons to become injured due to its high biomechanical load but poor vascularity 2. Gross anatomy The Achilles tendon forms by merging fibers of the gastrocnemius and sole...

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