The chest x-ray is the most commonly performed diagnostic x-ray examination. Highly illustrated and with only a minimum of necessary text, this new book takes a highly efficient pattern-based approach to evaluating the chest x-ray. Classes of findings, such as increased radiolucency or alveolar shadow: atelectasis, are used to orient the reader toward the underlying medical problem. Tables help to organize the basic findings so as to be able to arrive at a differential diagnosis.
While the emphasis is on the chest x-ray, a supporting role is played by helpful CT images, schematics and drawings, and photographs of pathologic specimens, where these may be helpful to understand the chest x-ray appearance of the disease.
Chest x-rays are often performed routinely, prior to employment, prior to surgery or during immigration. The examining physician must be in a position to evaluate large numbers of chest x-rays confidently and speedily. This book succeeds admirably in helping the examiner to this end.