Pulmonary Embolus

General Features in Pulmonary Embolus

In embolus, the chest x-ray is not normally helpful, so I haven't shown one here. It can be useful to exclude other pathology. Rarely, the x-ray may show atelectasis, consolidation, or a small pleural effusion. There may be prominent hilar vessels or decreased peripheral vessels, but this is also rare.

Nuclear medicine Ventilation/Perfusion scans are the way to go on this one.

Back to Case 10: Pneumothorax

Forward to Case 12: Cardiac Imaging in Disease

Return to Radiology for Medical Students Index

Take Home Points

Those of you who have slogged it out to the end of the "Lungs" section I deserve a bonus before carrying on to the deliciously brief "Cardiac Imaging in Disease." Here it is:

For infiltrative processes, pneumonia, tumor CXR is sensitive, but not specific
For obstructive airway disease, CXR is not particularly sensitive, but can exclude complications such as pneumonia
For Heart Failure, CXR is helpful, but often difficult to interpret
Pneumonia, tumor, embolus are usually focal
COPD, CHF, Interstitial lung disease are usually diffuse

P.S. Real men hand-code HTML in Notepad, baby! Deal with it.

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