Learning Radiology

Recognizing a Pleural Effusion

Normal Anatomy and Physiology of the Pleural Space Normal anatomy The parietal pleura lines the inside of the thoracic cage and the visceral pleura adheres to the surface of the lung parenchyma including its interface with the mediastinum and diaphragm.…

Recognizing Atelectasis

What is Atelectasis? Common to all forms of atelectasis is a loss of volume in some or all of the lung, frequently (but not always) leading to increased density of the lung involved. The lung normally appears “black” on a…

Recognizing Normal Cardiac Anatomy

Starting with conventional radiography, we’ll begin with an assessment of heart size, then describe the normal and abnormal contours of the heart on the frontal radiograph and, finally, discuss the normal anatomy of the heart as seen on computed tomography…

Recognizing Normal Pulmonary Anatomy

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to evaluate the normal anatomy ( Fig. 2.1 ) and the technical adequacy ( Fig. 2.2 ) of the lungs on conventional radiography as well as on computed tomography. To become more proficient interpreting images of…

Recognizing Anything: Past, Present, and Future

This chapter will briefly introduce you to the major imaging modalities: conventional radiography, computed tomography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and the use of fluoroscopy. Nuclear medicine has its own online chapter (see e-Appendix A ). In every chapter of this…