Fig. 45.1 Chest x-ray (AP view)
- 1.
Name some causes for the changes seen in the image?
- 2.
What’s the most valuable x-ray finding used to help differentiate the etiology of this finding?
- 3.
What is the differential diagnosis of this finding when there is no tracheal deviation or mediastinal shift on chest x-ray?
- 4.
What is the differential diagnosis when there is mediastinal shift away from the opacity?
- 5.
What is the differential diagnosis when there is mediastinal shift toward the opacity?
Answers
- 1.
The most common causes of unilateral lung whiteout on chest radiograph (Fig. 45.1) are pneumonia, pleural effusion (including hemothorax), and collapse/atelectasis. The ability to differentiate between collapse and pleural effusion is essential because they require distinct treatments, which, if applied erroneously, could harm the patient [1].
- 2.
The most important finding that may help differentiate the etiology of unilateral whiteout is tracheal deviation or mediastinal shift.Full access? Get Clinical Tree