Chest radiograph

Other diagnostic tests should also be obtained in order to rule out precipitating factors (chest radiograph) and to evaluate cardiac function (ECG). 

Review available diagnostic information from the chest radiograph, ECG, and echocardiogram. 

Fibrotic changes on chest radiograph consistent with prior TB... 

Isoniazid Daily for 6 monthsd Not indicated for HIV-infected persons, those with fibrotic lesions on chest radiographs, or children. B (I) C (I)... 

Options 1 c and 2b should be used only in HIV-negative patients who have negative sputum smears at the time of completion of 2 months of therapy and who do not have cavitation on the initial chest radiograph. For patients started on this regimen and found to have a positive culture from the 2-month specimen, treatment should be extended an extra 3 months. 

A 39-year-old male with chronic steroid-dependent asthma who recently relocated to Phoenix, Arizona presents with a 4-week history of increasing fever, dry cough, and pain upon deep inspiration. He also reports arthralgias and night sweats over the last 3 weeks. A chest radiograph reveals a small area of consolidation in the left lower lobe and some hilar adenopathy. Otherwise, all other routine tests and cultures appear negative. 

A chest radiograph should be done if the patient has heart failure symptoms. 

An electrocardiogram, chest radiograph, and echocardiogram are commonly performed. Echocardiography to determine the presence of valvular vegetations plays a key role in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis it should be performed in all suspected cases. 

Patients often present with classic signs and symptoms of acute pulmonary embolus pleuritic chest pain, fever, hemoptysis, a friction rub, and a wedge-shaped infiltrate on chest radiographs. 

Characteristic symptoms include fever and dyspnea clinical signs are tachypnea, with or without rales or rhonchi, and a nonproductive or mildly productive cough. Chest radiographs may show florid or subtle infiltrates or may occasionally be normal, although infiltrates are usually interstitial and bilateral. Arterial blood gases may show minimal hypoxia (Pao2 80 to 95 mm Hg) but in more advanced disease may be markedly abnormal. 

Chest radiograph should be obtained if pneumonia is suspected. 

Chest examination may reveal rhonchi and coarse, moist rales bilaterally. Chest radiographs, when performed, are usually normal. 

Increased tactile fremitus, whispered pectoriloquy, and egophony Chest wall retractions and grunting respirations Diminished breath sounds over the affected area Inspiratory crackles during lung expansion Chest radiograph... 

The diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia is usually established by presence of a new infiltrate on chest radiograph, fever, worsening respiratory status, and the appearance of thick, neutrophil-laden respiratory secretions. 

With nosocomial pneumonia, the above parameters should be assessed along with white blood cell counts, chest radiograph, and blood gas determinations. 

Patients who are slow to respond, those who remain culture positive at 2 months of treatment, those with cavitary lesions on chest radiograph, and HIV-positive patients should be treated for 9 months and for at least 6 months from the time they convert to smear and culture negativity. 

Anthrax. A nonspecific prodrome (i.e., fever, dyspnea, cough, and chest discomfort) follows inhalation of infectious spores. Approximately 2-4 days after initial symptoms, sometimes after a brief period of improvement, respiratory failure and hemodynamic collapse ensue. Inhalational anthrax also might include thoracic edema and a widened mediastinum on chest radiograph. Gram-positive bacilli can grow on blood culture, usually 2-3 days after onset of illness. Cutaneous anthrax follows deposition of the organism onto the skin, occurring particularly on exposed areas of the hands, arms, or face. An area of local... 

Plague. Clinical features of pneumonic plague include fever, cough with muco-purulent sputum (gram-negative rods may be seen on gram stain), hemoptysis, and chest pain. A chest radiograph will show evidence of bronchopneumonia. 

Researchers found an increase in volume of isoflow, a decrease in change in flow while breathing helium compared to air at 50% vital capacity, and the continued presence of abnormal chest radiographs. The study suggests that there may be long-term respiratory effects following aspiration of ingested kerosene. 

Annobil SH. 1983. Chest radiographic patterns following kerosene poisoning in Ghanaian children. Clin... 

A 1-year follow-up of 103 miners and millers of talc ore free from asbestos and silica showed an association between exposure and small opacities on chest radiographs the annual loss in FEVi and FVC was greater than expected and could not be wholly attributed to cigarette smoking." However, effects on pulmonary function in nonsmokers was not associated with lifetime or current talc exposure."... 

Marcus RL, Turner S, Cherry NM A study of lung function and chest radiographs in men exposed to zirconium compounds. Occup Med 46(2) 109-113, 1996... 

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