Chest

Apical pleural thickening on chest X-ray means that there is a white area of thickening at the very top of the lungs on the chest X-ray.  This is a common…

A chest CT can show some heart abnormalities.  Chest CTs are not usually done to evaluate the heart.   There are much better tests to look at the heart like…

Some CT scans that are done for parts of your body other than the lungs include portions of the lungs.  Radiologists who interpret the CT will look at all the…

Fluid in the chest on X-ray can mean that there is fluid in the lung (edema), or around it (pleural effusion).  There can also be fluid in other parts of…

Lucent area is a non specific term on chest X-ray which means that an area is darker than expected.  As X-rays pass through structures in the chest, an image is…

Density in chest X-ray refers to a whiter spot than the surrounding tissue.  This term is commonly used in the lungs.  The lungs are normally dark because they don’t block…

Chest X-rays are commonly done for a wide range of chest symptoms and complaints.  They are good at imaging the lungs, the mediastinum and bones of the chest.  They have…

A radiologist reading a chest X-ray done for respiratory symptoms may identify a nodule or abnormal spot and recommend a chest CT.  A chest x ray is a good starting…

Esophograms are performed after the patient swallows barium contrast and X-ray is used to identify abnormalities.  The barium contrast outlines the esophagus on X-ray and many abnormalities of structure and…

Esophageal stricture means a narrowing of the esophagus.  The esophagus is a long tube going from the throat to the stomach.  A narrowing that is fixed can be from a…

A cavity on chest X-ray is a thick walled air filled space in the lung.  This can be associated with a nodule, mass (greater than 3 cm in size) or…