J Radiol
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There are good reasons to believe that screening of lung parenchymal diseases by CT is superior to chest radiographs. Nevertheless, conventional chest radiography often remains the first examination performed for evaluation of thoracic diseases and, irrespective of clinical indication, it plays an important role in screening procedures. ⋯ Specific attention to poor detectability zones is emphasized and a check-list is proposed, mainly to reduce the risk of overlooking lesions. Techniques, indications and respective diagnostic values for both chest radiography and CT scan are analyzed and applied to the screening of lung cancer, asbestos exposure and tuberculosis.
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False-positive or over-calling of findings at chest radiography may have important consequences by generating numerous and unnecessary examinations. The advances made in thoracic imaging have currently decreased the number of technical errors. However, we are frequently confronted with visual illusions or with failure to recognize anatomical variants, either congenital, age-related or physiological in nature. ⋯ Over-calling depends on the clinical context, which may inadequately suggest an interstitial lung process, abnormalities of the vascularization or of the hila. In this article, several examples of false positives will be illustrated. An explanation for these appearances, based on the underlying etiology, will be provided.
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To study the clinical and radiological manifestations in patients with retained surgical foreign bodies. ⋯ Ultrasonography and computed tomography are essential for the diagnosis and management of retained surgical foreign bodies after abdominal surgery.
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A case of gastric pneumatosis is described in a 6 month old girl with Down syndrome. Plain abdominal radiographs showed a radiolucent rim within the gastric wall and a dilated stomach. ⋯ Gastric pneumatosis (air within the gastric wall), is an unusual radiographic finding. It may be of mechanical or inflammatory origin or, in some rare cases, remain unexplained.
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This article reviews the major indications for chest sonography in children. Sonography should be performed after chest radiographs have been obtained in order to assess the need for further imaging with CT and/or MRI. Sonography allows accurate assessment of the pleural compartment especially for evaluation of pleural effusions, the diaphragm, peripheral lung lesions and anterior, middle and postero-inferior mediastinal lesions. ⋯ This technique allows tissue characterization and it is superior to other modalities in characterization of fluid. Sonography may be used to guide aspirations and biopsies. Sonography of the chest is the modality of choice in children because of its lack of ionizing radiation and ease to perform.