Reading chest radiographs in the critically ill (Part II): Radiography of lung pathologies common in the ICU patient

Abstract

This is part II of two series review of reading chest radiographs in the critically ill. Conventional chest radiography remains the cornerstone of day to day management of the critically ill occasionally supplemented by computed tomography or ultrasound for specific indications. In this second review we discuss radiographic findings of cardiopulmonary disorders common in the intensive care patient and suggest guidelines for interpretation based not only on imaging but also on the pathophysiology and clinical grounds.

Keywords

• Chest x-ray
• intensive care unit
• cardiopulmonary disorders