Chest x-ray (summary)
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Chest x-rays are performed frequently in the assessment of a vast number of sick (and potentially sick) patients.
A chest x-ray can be performed in the radiology department (usually with the patient standing up) or by the bedside. The quality of the radiograph is vastly superior if performed in the department, but this is not always possible - especially when the patient is sick.
Reference article
This is a summary article; read more in our article on chest radiograph.
Summary
-
indications (acute)
- breathlessness
- chest pain
- productive cough
- cough and weight loss
- focal chest signs
-
important pathology
- pneumonia
- lobar collapse
- pleural effusion
- pneumothorax
- cardiomegaly
-
benefits
- quick and accessible
- a wide range of pathology can be identified
-
limitations
- modest radiation dose
- relatively insensitive for causes of pathology
-
procedure
- PA
- standing with chest facing detector
- x-ray taken from behind the patient
- AP
- the detector placed behind patient's back
- x-ray taken from the front
- PA
-
similar testsvariations-
erect chest x-ray
- performed after sitting up for 10 minutes
- used for the detection of free intraperitoneal gas
-
erect chest x-ray
-
similar tests
- CT chest
- performed contrast timed for the arterial system
- assessment of lung parenchyma and mediastinum
- CTPA
- CT
chestpulmonary angiogram - pump-injected post-contrast examination
- CT
takenperformed when contrast is within the pulmonary arteries
- CT
- HRCT
- non-contrast examination
- assessment of lung parenchyma
- may be performed as selected
-slicesslices or as a volume
- CT chest
-<p><strong>Chest x-rays</strong> are performed frequently in the assessment of a vast number of sick (and potentially sick) patients. </p><p>A chest x-ray can be performed in the radiology department (usually with the patient standing up) or by the bedside. The quality of the radiograph is vastly superior if performed in the department, but this is not always possible - especially when the patient is sick.</p><h4>Reference article</h4><p>This is a <a href="/articles/summary-article">summary article</a>; read more in our article on <a title="Chest radiograph" href="/articles/chest-radiograph">chest radiograph</a>.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>- +<p><strong>Chest x-rays</strong> are performed frequently in the assessment of a vast number of sick (and potentially sick) patients. </p><p>A chest x-ray can be performed in the radiology department (usually with the patient standing up) or by the bedside. The quality of the radiograph is vastly superior if performed in the department, but this is not always possible - especially when the patient is sick.</p><h4>Reference article</h4><p>This is a <a href="/articles/summary-article">summary article</a>; read more in our article on <a href="/articles/chest-radiograph">chest radiograph</a>.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
-<li><a title="Pneumonia (summary)" href="/articles/pneumonia-summary">pneumonia</a></li>-<li><a title="Lobar collapse (summary)" href="/articles/lobar-collapse-summary">lobar collapse</a></li>-<li><a title="Pleural effusion (summary)" href="/articles/pleural-effusion-summary">pleural effusion</a></li>-<li><a title="Symptomatic pneumothorax (summary)" href="/articles/symptomatic-pneumothorax-summary">pneumothorax</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/pneumonia-summary">pneumonia</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/lobar-collapse-summary">lobar collapse</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/pleural-effusion-summary">pleural effusion</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/symptomatic-pneumothorax-summary">pneumothorax</a></li>
-<li>wide range of pathology can be identified</li>- +<li>a wide range of pathology can be identified</li>
-<li>detector placed behind patient's back</li>- +<li>the detector placed behind patient's back</li>
-<strong>similar tests</strong><ul>-<li>-<a title="Erect chest x-ray (summary)" href="/articles/erect-chest-x-ray-summary">erect chest x-ray</a><ul>- +<strong>variations</strong><ul><li>
- +<a href="/articles/erect-chest-x-ray-summary">erect chest x-ray</a><ul>
- +</li></ul>
- +<li>
- +<strong>similar tests</strong><ul>
-<li>CT chest</li>- +<li>CT pulmonary angiogram</li>
-<li>CT taken when contrast is within the pulmonary arteries</li>- +<li>CT performed when contrast is within the pulmonary arteries</li>
-<li>may be performed as selected-slices or as a volume</li>- +<li>may be performed as selected slices or as a volume</li>
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