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Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include shortness of breath, chest pain particularly upon breathing in, and coughing up blood. Symptoms of a blood clot in the leg may also be present, such as a red, warm, swollen, and painful leg. Signs of a PE include low blood oxygen levels, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, and sometimes a mild fever. Severe cases can lead to passing out, abnormally low blood pressure, obstructive shock, and sudden death.
Hemoptysis or haemoptysis is the discharge of blood or blood-stained mucus through the mouth coming from the bronchi, larynx, trachea, or lungs. It does not necessarily involve coughing. In other words, it is the airway bleeding. This can occur with lung cancer, infections such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, or pneumonia, and certain cardiovascular conditions. Hemoptysis is considered massive at 300 mL. In such cases, there are always severe injuries. The primary danger comes from choking, rather than blood loss.
An air embolism, also known as a gas embolism, is a blood vessel blockage caused by one or more bubbles of air or other gas in the circulatory system. Air can be introduced into the circulation during surgical procedures, lung over-expansion injury, decompression, and a few other causes. In flora, air embolisms may also occur in the xylem of vascular plants, especially when suffering from water stress.
Angiography or arteriography is a medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers. Modern angiography is performed by injecting a radio-opaque contrast agent into the blood vessel and imaging using X-ray based techniques such as fluoroscopy. With time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic ressonance it is no longer necessary to use a contrast.
D-dimer is a dimer that is a fibrin degradation product (FDP), a small protein fragment present in the blood after a blood clot is degraded by fibrinolysis. It is so named because it contains two D fragments of the fibrin protein joined by a cross-link, hence forming a protein dimer.
Pulmonary angiography is a medical fluoroscopic procedure used to visualize the pulmonary arteries and much less frequently, the pulmonary veins. It is a minimally invasive procedure performed most frequently by an interventional radiologist or interventional cardiologist to visualise the arteries of the lungs.
In chest radiography, the Westermark sign is a sign that represents a focus of oligemia (hypovolemia) seen distal to a pulmonary embolism (PE). While the chest x-ray is normal in the majority of PE cases, the Westermark sign is seen in 2% of patients.
An amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a life-threatening childbirth (obstetric) emergency in which amniotic fluid enters the blood stream of the mother, triggering a serious reaction which results in cardiorespiratory collapse and massive bleeding (coagulopathy). The rate at which it occurs is 1 instance per 20,000 births and it comprises 10% of all maternal deaths.
Computed tomography angiography is a computed tomography technique used for angiography—the visualization of arteries and veins—throughout the human body. Using contrast injected into the blood vessels, images are created to look for blockages, aneurysms, dissections, and stenosis. CTA can be used to visualize the vessels of the heart, the aorta and other large blood vessels, the lungs, the kidneys, the head and neck, and the arms and legs. CTA can also be used to localise arterial or venous bleed of the gastrointestinal system.
A CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) is a medical diagnostic test that employs computed tomography (CT) angiography to obtain an image of the pulmonary arteries. Its main use is to diagnose pulmonary embolism (PE). It is a preferred choice of imaging in the diagnosis of PE due to its minimally invasive nature for the patient, whose only requirement for the scan is an intravenous line.
A lung nodule or pulmonary nodule is a relatively small focal density in the lung. A solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) or coin lesion, is a mass in the lung smaller than three centimeters in diameter. A pulmonary micronodule has a diameter of less than three millimetres. There may also be multiple nodules.
Obstructive shock is one of the four types of shock, caused by a physical obstruction in the flow of blood. Obstruction can occur at the level of the great vessels or the heart itself. Causes include pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade, and tension pneumothorax. These are all life-threatening. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, weakness, or altered mental status. Low blood pressure and tachycardia are often seen in shock. Other symptoms depend on the underlying cause.
The Fleischner Society is an international, multidisciplinary medical society for thoracic radiology, dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the chest. Founded in 1969 by eight radiologists whose predominant professional interests were imaging of chest diseases, the Society was named in memory of Felix Fleischner, an inspiring educator, clinician, and researcher who made many contributions to the field of chest radiology. The Society has had an active membership of approximately 65 members throughout its existence as well as approximately 35 senior members, who have retired from active medical practice or work in medical science after years of active membership in the Society.
Embolectomy is the emergency interventional or surgical removal of emboli which are blocking blood circulation. It usually involves removal of thrombi, and is then referred to as thromboembolectomy or thrombectomy. Embolectomy is an emergency procedure often as the last resort because permanent occlusion of a significant blood flow to an organ leads to necrosis. Other involved therapeutic options are anticoagulation and thrombolysis.
Ground-glass opacity (GGO) is a finding seen on chest x-ray (radiograph) or computed tomography (CT) imaging of the lungs. It is typically defined as an area of hazy opacification (x-ray) or increased attenuation (CT) due to air displacement by fluid, airway collapse, fibrosis, or a neoplastic process. When a substance other than air fills an area of the lung it increases that area's density. On both x-ray and CT, this appears more grey or hazy as opposed to the normally dark-appearing lungs. Although it can sometimes be seen in normal lungs, common pathologic causes include infections, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary edema.
Right heart strain is a medical finding of right ventricular dysfunction where the heart muscle of the right ventricle (RV) is deformed. Right heart strain can be caused by pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary embolism, RV infarction, chronic lung disease, pulmonic stenosis, bronchospasm, and pneumothorax.
Juxtaphrenic peak sign is a radiographic sign seen in lobar collapse or after lobectomy of the lung. This sign was first described by Katten and colleagues in 1980, and therefore, it is also called Katten's sign. The juxtaphrenic peak is most commonly caused due to the traction from the inferior accessory fissure. The prevalence of the juxtaphrenic peak sign increases gradually during the weeks after lobectomy of the lung.
Knuckle sign is a radiologic sign used for diagnosing pulmonary embolism. The presence of a blood clot in the branch of a pulmonary artery can resemble a knuckle in CT and X-ray images, which is why it is called knuckle sign. It is frequently seen along with other signs of pulmonary embolism, such as the Fleischner sign and Westermark sign.
Dr. Morris Simon, MB, BCH, (1926–2005) was a South African-born American radiologist, professor, and inventor. His medical practice was based primarily at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, where he specialized in chest radiology. He is also credited with a number of medical inventions, including a flexible filter for dissolving blood clots, and innovations that streamlined patient care and records holding.
The black pleura sign is a radiological feature observed in pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM), a rare lung disorder characterized by the accumulation of tiny calcium phosphate deposits, known as microliths, within the alveoli. This sign appears as a thin, dark (lucent) line beneath the ribs on imaging studies, contrasting with the diffusely dense, calcified lung parenchyma.
References
- ↑ Kumaresh, Athiyappan; Kumar, Mitesh; Dev, Bhawna; Gorantla, Rajani; Sai, PM Venkata; Thanasekaraan, Vijayalakshmi (31 July 2015). "Back to Basics – 'Must Know' Classical Signs in Thoracic Radiology". Journal of Clinical Imaging Science. 5: 43. doi: 10.4103/2156-7514.161977 . ISSN 2156-7514. PMC 4541161 . PMID 26312141.
- ↑ Cooksley, Timothy; Husein, Belkys; Iqbal, Javaid; Bright, John (1 June 2012). "Fleischner's Sign in a Massive Pulmonary Embolism". Journal of Emergency Medicine. 42 (6): 698–699. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2010.05.027. ISSN 0736-4679. PMID 20656435 . Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ↑ Maizlin, Zeev V.; Cooperberg, Peter L.; Clement, Jason J.; Vos, Patrick M.; Coblentz, Craig L. (October 2009). "People behind exclusive eponyms of radiologic signs (part I)". Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal. 60 (4): 201–212. doi:10.1016/j.carj.2009.06.009. ISSN 0846-5371. PMID 19647394. S2CID 26838176 . Retrieved 13 July 2021.