The black lung field

CHAPTER 5 The black lung field




5.1 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)






When trying to decide the cause of bilateral black lungs you need to:



If you are satisfied with the technical quality of the film then the most likely cause is COPD. COPD is associated with large lungs due to air trapping and the development of bullae. You therefore need to:










5.2 Pneumothorax




When you see a unilateral black lung you need to:




You must now decide the cause of the blackness. Lung markings are made up of bronchi and blood vessels and it is their absence that makes the lung look black. Vascular shadows will disappear if the lung is replaced by air, which will occur with a pneumothorax or bullous or cystic lung disease or if the vessels are deprived of blood as in a pulmonary embolus. Therefore think pneumothorax, bullae/cyst or pulmonary embolism and:



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Sep 3, 2016 | Posted by in RESPIRATORY IMAGING | Comments Off on The black lung field

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