Which of the following is a classic finding on thoracic radiographs in a patient with pericardial effusion? A) Absence of contact between the cardiac silhouette and thoracic wall B... Which of the following is a classic finding on thoracic radiographs in a patient with pericardial effusion? A) Absence of contact between the cardiac silhouette and thoracic wall B) Enlarged cardiac silhouette with specific chamber enlargement pattern C) Small pulmonary vasculature D) Sharply delineated margins of the cardiac silhouette
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about classic radiographic findings associated with pericardial effusion, specifically looking for the options that could indicate this condition based on thoracic radiographs.
Answer
Enlarged cardiac silhouette with specific chamber enlargement pattern
Enlarged cardiac silhouette with specific chamber enlargement pattern
Answer for screen readers
Enlarged cardiac silhouette with specific chamber enlargement pattern
More Information
A classic radiographic finding in patients with pericardial effusion is an enlarged cardiac silhouette, which can often have a 'water bottle' appearance. This happens because the contour of the heart changes due to fluid accumulation in the pericardial space.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing pericardial effusion with cardiomegaly; the latter is due to heart chamber enlargement rather than fluid accumulation.
Sources
- Radiologic Signs in Thoracic Imaging: Case-Based Review and Self ... - ajronline.org
- Imaging of urgencies and emergencies in the lung cancer patient - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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