Radiology Module

Question 1

Lateral positioning of CXR should have patient’s _____ side against the camera

Answer 1

Left

Question 2

Which CXR view shows magnification of the heart and widening of mediastinum?

Answer 2

AP

so PA is preferred

Question 3

When are AP views obtained?

Answer 3

Very ill patients who cannot stand up

Question 4

Lateral decubitus position is helpful for what?

Answer 4

Assess volume of pleural effusion and if it is mobile or loculated

Question 5

What phase of respiration should the CXR be taken?

Answer 5

Full inspiration

Question 6

If the CXR was taken appropriately, at which level would the diaphragm be located?

Answer 6

8-10th posterior ribs

5-6th anterior ribs

Question 7

What makes a CXR technically adequate?

Answer 7

RIP!

Rotation, Inspiration, Penetration

Question 8

Adequate penetration means:

Answer 8

Thoracic spine disc spaces can barely be seen but bony details of the spine are NOT usually seen

Question 9

Adequate penetration on lateral view means:

Answer 9

Spine appears to darken as you move caudally

Question 10

What happens if the patient is rotated during CXR?

Answer 10

Mediastinum may look unsual

Question 11

How do you assess adequate rotation?

Answer 11

See if clavicular heads are equal distance from spinous process of the thoracic vertebral bodies

Question 12

Rotated CXR can be confused for:

Answer 12

Pneumothorax (skin folds become visible looking like PTX)

Question 13

Opacities on CXR could be:

Answer 13

Mass or infiltrate

Question 14

What makes a mass different from an infiltrate?

Answer 14

A mass is well-defined

Question 15

Where can a mass be located?

Answer 15

Intraparenchymal
Pleural
Extrapleural

Question 16

Silhouette sign

Answer 16

• Loss of normal borders between thoracic structures

- Mass that touches border of the heart/aorta or pneumonia

Question 17

Air bronchogram

Answer 17

Tubular outline of an airway made visible by filling of surrounding alveoli, fluid, or inflammatory excudates

Question 18

What can cause air bronchograms?

Answer 18

Lung consolidation
Pulm edema
Nonobstructive atelectasis
Interstitial disease
Neoplasm
Normal expiration

Question 19

Atelectasis is almost always a/w what on CXR?

Answer 19

Linear increased density

Question 20

What is a common cause of atelectasis?

Answer 20

Mucus plugging

Question 21

What is the earliest CXR finding of CHF?

Answer 21

Cardiomegaly

Question 22

How is cardiomegaly detected on CXR?

Answer 22

Cardiothoracic ratio > 50%

Question 23

What would cause a “batwing” sign on CXR?

Answer 23

Pulmonary edema
(clinically: drowning cases)

Question 24

Although most PE cases have normal CXR, what are findings that can be seen?

Answer 24

• Hampton’s hump (rounded opacity)
• Westermark sign
• Fleischner sign

Question 25

Approx. ____ mL of fluid is needed to detect an effusion on frontal film

Answer 25

200

Question 26

Approx. ____ mL of fluid is needed to detect an effusion on lateral film

Answer 26

75

Question 27

Interstitial lung disease shows what on CXR?

Answer 27

“Ground glass”

Honeycomb

Question 28

A patient with emphysema would present with what on CXR?

Answer 28

Hyperinflated lungs