Wish you’d paid more attention to your #radiology lectures in med school? Don’t worry, we’ve got you, #medtwitter. Announcing #readingroom, a new feature where we break down common rads findings into learning bites.
Let’s start with a good ol’ CXR: what’s your read?
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Let’s start with a good ol’ CXR: what’s your read?
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It’s a hemithorax opacification! Now let’s level up and ask what your ddx is for such a finding.
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Pleural effusion and atelectasis are most likely. What else is on your ddx, though - and what other CXR findings help you tier your ddx?
Moving on to a CT ... what’s that purple arrow pointing to?
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Moving on to a CT ... what’s that purple arrow pointing to?
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The answer - a L main obstruction! it gives us a likely etiology for the hemithorax opacification.
...but what’s going on with that teal line on the left side of the image?
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...but what’s going on with that teal line on the left side of the image?
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That teal line was a displaced R atrium!
Why? Check the diagram below for a beautiful visual description.
Take away:
⬆️ volume from an effusion pushes mediastinum *away* from the opacification vs.
⬇️ volume from atelectasis pulls mediastinum *towards* the opacification 5/6
Why? Check the diagram below for a beautiful visual description.
Take away:
⬆️ volume from an effusion pushes mediastinum *away* from the opacification vs.
⬇️ volume from atelectasis pulls mediastinum *towards* the opacification 5/6
Shout out to our new radiology collaborator @StefanTigges for making this feature come to life.
And if you like what you see, check out his website at xraycomix.com for more!
Have any requests for future #readingroom posts? Let us know in the comments!
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And if you like what you see, check out his website at xraycomix.com for more!
Have any requests for future #readingroom posts? Let us know in the comments!
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