Premium
EFFECT OF DEPENDENCY VERSUS NONDEPENDENCY ON LUNG LESION VISUALIZATION
Author(s) -
PECHMAN ROBERT D.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
veterinary radiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.541
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1740-8261
pISSN - 0196-3627
DOI - 10.1111/j.1740-8261.1987.tb00050.x
Subject(s) - medicine , lung , lesion , radiography , chest radiograph , pneumonia , pathology , lung volumes , radiology
Paraffin blocks and mineral oil were used as a model to determine the effect of dependency versus nondependency on radiographic visualization of lung lesions in lateral thoracic radiographs. It was concluded that the increased opacity of the material surrounding the lesion, not contact between the heart and the lesion, was responsible for the inability to detect lung disease in the dependent lung. The results were tested in dogs with pneumonia in the right middle lung lobe. When the dog was in right lateral recumbency, the dependent right lung was increased in opacity and decreased in volume and the pulmonary lesion was difficult to detect. When the dog was in left lateral recumbency, the nondependent right lung was increased in volume and decreased in opacity and the pulmonary disease was clearly visible. A single recumbent lateral radiograph must not be used to assess a dog with suspected lung disease because lesions in the dependent lung lobes may not be detected.