Introduction Patients presenting with undifferentiated shortness of breath can be challenging because their presentations can have many potential etiologies: pulmonary, cardiac, mixed cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, neurologic, or other noncardiopulmonary reasons. It…
Lymph Node Groups Mediastinal lymph nodes are generally classified by location. Most descriptive systems are based on a modification of Rouvière’s classification of lymph node groups. The names used in…
Pericardiocentesis Introduction Performing a pericardiocentesis in an unstable patient with cardiac tamponade is a lifesaving procedure. Pericardial fluid is a common finding on point-of-care echocardiography examination and can occur from…
Despite marked advances in limiting image times for magnetic resonance imaging, CT remains the primary modality for most indications for imaging the abdomen and pelvis. The technology of multidetector CT…
Computed tomography (CT) is commonly used in patients suspected of having a mediastinal mass or vascular abnormality (e.g., an aortic aneurysm). In general, CT is performed in two situations. First,…
S piral (helical) computed tomography (CT) allows the entire chest to be imaged in a few seconds or less (i.e., during a single breath hold), with volumetric acquisition of scan…
Peripheral Artery Disease Patients may present with acute or chronic lower extremity arterial insufficiency. Chronic lower extremity arterial insufficiency is typically secondary to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a gradual, degenerative disease…
Normal Anatomy Kidneys The kidneys are retroperitoneal structures and are surrounded by fascial layers, including Gerota’s fascia. There is direct supply of the renal arteries and veins to the kidney…
Introduction Undifferentiated chest pain presents a diagnostic dilemma because there are many potential causes, with some etiologies being imminently life threatening. These diagnoses often cannot be determined by history or…
Introduction Single-injection ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks (USGNBs) are ideal for pain relief from acute injuries and adjunct analgesic for painful procedures. By injecting local anesthetic adjacent to the nerve, both…
