Articles
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43 results found
Article
Unilateral hypertransradiant hemithorax (mnemonic)
Unilateral hypertransradiancy is the correct term for the chest radiograph appearance of increased blackness affecting one lung. Hyperlucency is a commonly used alternative but is inaccurate; the chest is not penetrated by light!
A logical approach begins by checking for:
technical factors
pa...
Article
Conditions with upper lobe predominance (mnemonic)
Useful mnemonics to remember conditions with upper lobe predominance in chest radiology are:
STEP
BREASTS
Mnemonics
STEP
S: sarcoidosis, silicosis
T: tuberculosis
E: eosinophilic pneumonia
P: pneumoconiosis
BREASTS
B: berylliosis
R: radiation fibrosis
E: extrinsic allergic alveolitis...
Article
Cannonball metastasis (mnemonic)
Cannonball metastases refer to multiple large, well-circumscribed, round pulmonary metastases. Numerous primary tumors have been described presenting with cannonball metastases, however, some primary tumors have a predilection for this presentation.
It should be noted that it is difficult to f...
Article
Lymphangitic carcinomatosis (mnemonic)
A mnemonic for the causes of lymphangitic carcinomatosis is:
Certain Cancers Spread By Plugging The Lymphatics
Mnemonic
C: cervix
C: colon
S: stomach
B: breast
P: prostate and pancreas
T: thyroid
L: larynx and lung
Another mnemonic to remember most common causes are BLS (Basic Life Sup...
Article
Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema (mnemonic)
The causes of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema can be recalled with the following mnemonic:
NOT CARDIAC
Mnemonic
NOT CARDIAC
N: near drowning
O: O2 therapy/post-intubation pulmonary edema
T: trauma/transfusion (TRALI: transfusion-related acute lung injury)
C: CNS: neu...
Article
Eggshell calcification in thorax and mediastinum (mnemonic)
Helpful mnemonics to remember the major causes of eggshell calcification of the nodes in the thorax and mediastinum are:
A Silly Cool Sergeant Likes His Tubercular Blast
Sam Smith Likes His Smart ABC Mnemonic
Mnemonics
A Silly Cool Sergeant Likes His Tubercular Blast
A: amyloid...
Article
Normal hilar position (mnemonic)
A mnemonic to remember the normal position of the lung hila and pulmonary arteries is:
RALPH
Mnemonic
Right Anterior, Left Posterior and Higher
The left hilum is commonly higher than the right. The left pulmonary artery arches posterosuperiorly over the left mainstem bronchus, whereas the ri...
Article
Obliterative bronchiolitis (mnemonic)
A mnemonic to remember the causes of obliterative bronchiolitis is:
CRITTS
Mnemonic
C: cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), cystic fibrosis
R: rheumatoid arthritis
I: infectious: post-viral/post-atypical infection (e.g. Mycoplasma pneumonia)
T: transplant: heart/lung/hematopoietic stem ...
Article
Thoracic plane (mnemonic)
A handy mnemonic to remember the structures found at the level of the thoracic plane (also known as the plane of Ludwig) is:
CLAPTRAP
RAT PLANT
Mnemonic
CLAPTRAP
C: cardiac plexus
L: ligamentum arteriosum
A: aortic arch (inner concavity)
P: pulmonary trunk
T: tracheal bifurcation (carin...
Article
Trauma CT thorax review areas (mnemonic)
Trauma CT thorax review areas are useful to reduce the potential for error, which is higher than usual given the larger number of images requiring review, and the often present time pressures and the potential presence of numerous concurrent injuries (see CT polytrauma).
Using some standard re...
Article
Conditions with lower lobe predominance (mnemonic)
Mnemonics for conditions with a lower lobe predominance in chest radiology include:
CIA
BAD AS
RASCO
Mnemonics
CIA
C: collagen vascular diseases
I: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
A: asbestosis
BAD AS
B: bronchiectasis
A: aspiration pneumonia
D: drugs; desquamative interstitial pneumon...
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
Anterosuperior mediastinal mass (mnemonic)
The common causes of an anterosuperior mediastinal mass can be remembered by using the mnemonic:
5 Ts
Mnemonic
T: thymus
T: thyroid
T: thoracic aorta
T: terrible lymphoma
T: teratoma and germ cell tumors - see mediastinal germ cell tumors
Testicular cancer metastasis can represent a sixt...
Article
Pulmonary edema signs (mnemonic)
A mnemonic to remember the radiographic signs of pulmonary edema is:
ABCDE
Mnemonic
A: alveolar opacification
B: batwinging
C: cardiomegaly
D: diffuse interstitial thickening (septal lines) and diversion (vascular upper zone diversion, cephalisation)
E: effusions (pleural)
Article
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis diagnostic criteria (mnemonic)
A mnemonic to remember the diagnostic criteria of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is:
THRALL PVC
Mnemonic
T: tuberous sclerosis
H: HRCT characteristic or compatible lung findings of LAM
RA: renal angiomyolipoma
L: lymphatic malformations
L: lung biopsy-proven LAM
P: pneumothorax
V: V...
Article
Calcifying pulmonary metastases (mnemonic)
A useful mnemonic to remember the causes of calcifying pulmonary metastases is:
BOBCAT
Mnemonic
B: bone (chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma)
O: ovary
B: breast
C: colon
A: any primary post-chemotherapy
T: thyroid and testis
Another useful mnemonic is BOTTOM.
B: Breast
O: Osteosarcoma
T...
Article
Cavitating lesions (mnemonic)
A mnemonic to remember the commonest causes of cavitating lesions seen in a chest x-ray is:
WEIRD HOLES
Mnemonic
W: Wegener's granulomatosis (granulomatosis with polyangiitis)
E: embolism (pulmonary, septic)
I: infection (anaerobes, pneumocystis, TB)
R: rheumatoid arthritis (necrobiotic no...
Article
Diaphragmatic apertures (mnemonic)
Two useful mnemonics to remember the thoracic spinal levels at which the three major structures pass through the diaphragmatic apertures is:
I 8 10 eggs at 12 - where 8 is a homophone for 'ate' and the 'e' in eggs is for the US spelling of esophagus
the number of letters per structure
Mnemon...
Article
Lower lobe fibrosis (mnemonic)
A mnemonic to remember differentials causing lower lobe fibrosis or predominant lower lobe fibrosis.
SAB-IPM
IPAS-BM
Mnemonic
SAB-IPM
S: systemic sclerosis and other connective tissue diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
A: aspiration, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, asbestosis
B: bronchi...
Article
Pulmonary cavity (mnemonic)
A particularly helpful mnemonic for causes of pulmonary cavities is:
CAVITY
Mnemonic
C: cancer
lung cancer: most frequently squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
cavitary pulmonary metastasis(es): most frequently SCC
A: autoimmune; granulomas from
granulomatosis with polyangiitis
rheumatoid ar...
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