Cardiac Gated Computed Tomography
General Principles Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is a specialized form of chest CT. All the technical principles that govern the acquisition and reconstruction of chest CT also apply to cardiac…
Coronary Angiography: Technique
Background Despite major advances in other imaging modalities, invasive cardiac catheterization remains a critical component of cardiovascular care. More than 1.1 million cardiac catheterization procedures, in addition to approximately 1.3…
Normal Chest Radiography and Computed Tomography
Radiography Technique Projections The standard radiographic views for evaluation of the chest are the posteroanterior (PA) and lateral projections with the patient standing; such projections provide the essential requirement for…
Pleural Effusion
Etiology, Prevalence, and Epidemiology Pleural effusion is the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space resulting from disruption of the homeostatic forces responsible for the movement of pleural fluid. Pleural…
Chest Wall
The chest wall is a complex anatomic structure composed of muscles, bones, joints, and soft tissues that make up the area of the body between the neck and the abdomen….
Pleural Neoplasms
The pleura may be affected by primary neoplasms or become involved by secondary spread of intrathoracic or extrathoracic tumors. Primary pleural tumors account for approximately 10% of all pleural neoplasms,…
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is the presence of air between the parietal and visceral pleura in the pleural cavity. It is caused most frequently by trauma or blunt or penetrating injury, which may…
Benign Pleural Thickening
Etiology Benign pleural thickening caused by fibrosis is the second most common pleural abnormality, the most common one being effusion. Pleural fibrosis has a number of causes and is the…
Mediastinal Masses
Mediastinal masses are relatively uncommon and include a wide variety of abnormalities of neoplastic, congenital, vascular, and lymphatic etiology that most radiologists encounter infrequently. Imaging plays a critical role in…
Chest Radiography in the Intensive Care Unit
Chest radiography is the primary imaging modality used in the intensive care unit (ICU), given its portability, rapid image acquisition, and immediate bedside return of information on the preview screen….
