Pneumonia chest x ray: Difference between revisions
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==Chest X-Ray== | ==Chest X-Ray== | ||
* [[X-ray]]s of the chest reveal areas of opacity. A normal chest x-ray makes CAP less likely; however, CAP is sometimes not seen on x-rays because the disease is either in its initial stages or involves a part of the lung not easily seen by x-ray. | ===Indications=== | ||
Patients with the following conditions should be evaluated with a chest X-ray:<ref name="pmid21661712">{{cite journal| author=Watkins RR, Lemonovich TL| title=Diagnosis and management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. | journal=Am Fam Physician | year= 2011 | volume= 83 | issue= 11 | pages= 1299-306 | pmid=21661712 | doi= | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=21661712 }} </ref> | |||
* Fever (>37.8° C / 100° F) | |||
* Tachypnea (> 20 breaths/min) | |||
* Tachycardia (> 100 bpm) | |||
* Decreased breath sounds and crackles in the physical exam | |||
===Findings=== | |||
* [[X-ray]]s of the chest reveal areas of opacity. | |||
*A normal chest x-ray makes community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) less likely; however, CAP is sometimes not seen on x-rays because the disease is either in its initial stages or involves a part of the lung not easily seen by x-ray. | |||
* X-rays can be misleading, because other problems, like lung scarring and [[congestive heart failure]], can mimic pneumonia on x-ray.<ref name=syrjala>Syrjala H, Broas M, Suramo I, et al. ''High resolution computed tomography for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia.'' Clin Infect Dis 1998; 27:358-363 PMID 9709887</ref> Chest x-rays are also used to evaluate for complications of pneumonia. | * X-rays can be misleading, because other problems, like lung scarring and [[congestive heart failure]], can mimic pneumonia on x-ray.<ref name=syrjala>Syrjala H, Broas M, Suramo I, et al. ''High resolution computed tomography for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia.'' Clin Infect Dis 1998; 27:358-363 PMID 9709887</ref> Chest x-rays are also used to evaluate for complications of pneumonia. | ||
* [[Chest x-ray]] findings are usually nonspecific in [[viral pneumonia]]. | * [[Chest x-ray]] findings are usually nonspecific in [[viral pneumonia]]. | ||
Revision as of 15:23, 5 November 2014
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Pneumonia chest x ray On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Pneumonia chest x ray |
Editor(s)-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.D. [2]
Overview
An important test for making a diagnosis of pneumonia is a chest x-ray. Chest x-rays can reveal areas of opacity (seen as white) which represent consolidation. Pneumonia is not always seen on x-rays, either because the disease is only in its initial stages, or because it involves a part of the lung not easily seen by x-ray.
Chest X-Ray
Indications
Patients with the following conditions should be evaluated with a chest X-ray:[1]
- Fever (>37.8° C / 100° F)
- Tachypnea (> 20 breaths/min)
- Tachycardia (> 100 bpm)
- Decreased breath sounds and crackles in the physical exam
Findings
- X-rays of the chest reveal areas of opacity.
- A normal chest x-ray makes community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) less likely; however, CAP is sometimes not seen on x-rays because the disease is either in its initial stages or involves a part of the lung not easily seen by x-ray.
- X-rays can be misleading, because other problems, like lung scarring and congestive heart failure, can mimic pneumonia on x-ray.[2] Chest x-rays are also used to evaluate for complications of pneumonia.
- Chest x-ray findings are usually nonspecific in viral pneumonia.
- Computed tomography is used in situations of diagnostic dilemma.
Chest X-ray Gallery
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Extensive consolidation and air bronchograms with loss of the right hemidiaphragm in keeping with right lower lobe pneumonia.
Image courtesy of Dr Frank Gaillard, Radiopedia. (original file here). Creative Commons BY-SA-NC -
Pneumonic infiltration of the right middle lobe.
Image courtesy of Dr Sajoscha Sorrentino, Radiopedia. (original file here). Creative Commons BY-SA-NC -
X-ray shows homogenous radio-opaque areas in bilateral lung fields. These represent areas ofconsolidation.
Image courtesy of Dr Aditya Shetty, Radiopedia. (original file here). Creative Commons BY-SA-NC
Videos
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References
- ↑ Watkins RR, Lemonovich TL (2011). "Diagnosis and management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults". Am Fam Physician. 83 (11): 1299–306. PMID 21661712.
- ↑ Syrjala H, Broas M, Suramo I, et al. High resolution computed tomography for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis 1998; 27:358-363 PMID 9709887