Radiographic Pathology: Chapter 3
Comprehensive: Respiratory System
Study Guide Exam with Actual
Answers 2026-2027 Updated.
Two common complications of intubation and barotrauma are_________________ and
_______________ - Answer Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum
The optimal location for a central venous catheter is where the brachiocephalic veins join to
form the - Answer Superior Vena Cava
The most common complication associated with the Swan-Ganz catheter is ____________ distal
to the catheter tip - Answer Infarction
Briefly describe why a lateral chest radiograph is very important for determining the correct
position of the tip of the electrode of a transvenous cardiac pacemaker - Answer To ensure
that the tip is in the anterior portion of the right ventricle
Is a disease of newborns characterized by progressive under aeration of the lungs and a
granular appearance - Answer Hyaline Membrane Disease
is a hereditary disease in which thick mucous is secreted by all the exocrine glands. - Answer
Cystic Fibrosis
a viral infection causing inflammatory obstructive swelling of the subglottic portion of the
trachea is - Answer Croup
Haemophilus Influenzae most commonly causes - Answer epiglottitis
when inflammatory exudate replaces air in the alveoli causing the affected area of the lung to
appear radiopaque on the image, this is an example of - Answer Alveolar Pneumonia
A necrotic area of pulmonary parenchyma containing purulent or puslike material is called -
Answer Lung Abscess
What radiographic procedure is often required to confirm the diagnosis of bronchiectasis when
the results of routine chest radiographs are inconclusive - Answer Bronchography
,Flattening of the domes of the diaphragm, increased AP diameter of the chest, and increased
lucency of the retrosternal air space are suggestive of a diagnosis of - Answer Emphysema
The three most common pneumoconiosis are - Answer Silicosis, asbestosis and anthracosis
A granulomatous disease of unknown origin that usually affects women more than men and
African Americans more than whites, and whose presence is most often identified on screening
chest radiographs, is - Answer Sarcoidosis
An abnormal vascular communication between a pulmonary artery and a pulmonary vein is
termed - Answer Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula
What medical emergency has occurred when air continues to enter the pleural space and
cannot escape, leading to complete collapse of a lung and shift of the heart and mediastinal
structures - Answer Tension Pneumothorax
Pus in the pleural space is called - Answer Empyema
A lung inflammation caused by bacteria or viruses is called - Answer Pneumonia
Name two common types of pulmonary mycoses - Answer Histoplasmosis and
Coccidiodmycosis
For the radiographers safety, it is important to remember that tuberculosis is spread mainly by
___________ which produces infectious ___________ - Answer coughing and droplets
What medical term is used to describe the entry of air into the pleural space - Answer
Pneumothorax
An increased volume of air in the lungs is seen in - Answer Emphysema
Inhalation of irritating dusts leading to chronic inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis is called -
Answer Pneumoconiosis
A malignant pleural neoplasm that results from asbestosis is - Answer Mesothelioma
,The trapping of bacteria in the pulmonary circulation that occurs in patients with a history of
intravenous drug abuse is called - Answer Septic Embolism
Reduced air volume within a lung leading to collapse is termed - Answer Atelectasis
Why do intrabronchial foreign bodies occur more frequently in the lower right lung? - Answer
Larger and more vertical mainstem bronchi
Blunt or penetrating trauma to the chest can produce _________________, which appears as
streaks of air that outline muscles of the thorax and sometimes the neck. - Answer
Subcutaneous Emphysema
At what costal interspace does the diaphragm lie when the lungs are fully inflated - Answer
Tenth
Air collecting behind the sternum and dissecting up into the soft tissue of the neck is called -
Answer Mediastinal Emphysema (pneumomediastinum)
An accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, sometimes caused by heart failure or pulmonary
embolus, is called - Answer Effusion
What are the two major functions of the respiratory system ? - Answer oxygenation of blood
and removal of waste (CO2)
What does the lower respiratory system consist of? - Answer trachea, bronchi and
bronchioles
The lower respiratory system is responsible for _________________ from the upper respiratory
system. - Answer conducting air
The tracheobronchial tree is lined with a _______________________. - Answer mucous
membrane
What are the hair-like projections found with in the tracheobronchial tree? - Answer cilia
What purpose does cilia serve? - Answer It prevents dust and foreign particles from reaching
the lungs.
, What can happen if cilia become damaged? - Answer When particles are allowed to enter
the respiratory system (because of damage) the foreign particles produce a disease process.
Where does external respiration take place? - Answer in the lung parenchyma (alveoli)
Explain the process of internal respiration: - Answer O2 attaches to hemoglobin molecules in
red blood cells and circulates to various tissues in the body.
During respiration which muscles are stimulated to contract? - Answer The diaphragm and
intercostal muscles
What happens to the lungs when the muscles responsible for respiration contract? - Answer
They expand and fill with air
Pulmonary circulation provides the ____________ with oxygenated blood. - Answer body
What is the inner lining surrounding and attached to the lung wall called? - Answer visceral
pleura
Irregular thickening of linear chest markings due to excessively viscous mucus is the
radiographic appearance in what pathology? - Answer Cystic fibrosis
Surfactant consists of lipoproteins and serves what purpose in the respiratory system? - Answer
It provides the proper surface tension in the alveoli, allowing full external respiration.
What types of images best demonstrate a rounded thickening of the epiglottic shadow and
what disease is characteristic of this? - Answer Soft tissue AP and lateral neck images;
Epiglottitis
How are the various types of pneumonia characterized? - Answer by their cause and location
in the lung
How does a lung abscess appear? - Answer As a spherical density with a hazy, poorly defined
periphery. May have air/fluid level
A bacterium that is rod-shaped with a waxy coat allowing it to live outside the body for an
extended time is? - Answer Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Comprehensive: Respiratory System
Study Guide Exam with Actual
Answers 2026-2027 Updated.
Two common complications of intubation and barotrauma are_________________ and
_______________ - Answer Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum
The optimal location for a central venous catheter is where the brachiocephalic veins join to
form the - Answer Superior Vena Cava
The most common complication associated with the Swan-Ganz catheter is ____________ distal
to the catheter tip - Answer Infarction
Briefly describe why a lateral chest radiograph is very important for determining the correct
position of the tip of the electrode of a transvenous cardiac pacemaker - Answer To ensure
that the tip is in the anterior portion of the right ventricle
Is a disease of newborns characterized by progressive under aeration of the lungs and a
granular appearance - Answer Hyaline Membrane Disease
is a hereditary disease in which thick mucous is secreted by all the exocrine glands. - Answer
Cystic Fibrosis
a viral infection causing inflammatory obstructive swelling of the subglottic portion of the
trachea is - Answer Croup
Haemophilus Influenzae most commonly causes - Answer epiglottitis
when inflammatory exudate replaces air in the alveoli causing the affected area of the lung to
appear radiopaque on the image, this is an example of - Answer Alveolar Pneumonia
A necrotic area of pulmonary parenchyma containing purulent or puslike material is called -
Answer Lung Abscess
What radiographic procedure is often required to confirm the diagnosis of bronchiectasis when
the results of routine chest radiographs are inconclusive - Answer Bronchography
,Flattening of the domes of the diaphragm, increased AP diameter of the chest, and increased
lucency of the retrosternal air space are suggestive of a diagnosis of - Answer Emphysema
The three most common pneumoconiosis are - Answer Silicosis, asbestosis and anthracosis
A granulomatous disease of unknown origin that usually affects women more than men and
African Americans more than whites, and whose presence is most often identified on screening
chest radiographs, is - Answer Sarcoidosis
An abnormal vascular communication between a pulmonary artery and a pulmonary vein is
termed - Answer Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula
What medical emergency has occurred when air continues to enter the pleural space and
cannot escape, leading to complete collapse of a lung and shift of the heart and mediastinal
structures - Answer Tension Pneumothorax
Pus in the pleural space is called - Answer Empyema
A lung inflammation caused by bacteria or viruses is called - Answer Pneumonia
Name two common types of pulmonary mycoses - Answer Histoplasmosis and
Coccidiodmycosis
For the radiographers safety, it is important to remember that tuberculosis is spread mainly by
___________ which produces infectious ___________ - Answer coughing and droplets
What medical term is used to describe the entry of air into the pleural space - Answer
Pneumothorax
An increased volume of air in the lungs is seen in - Answer Emphysema
Inhalation of irritating dusts leading to chronic inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis is called -
Answer Pneumoconiosis
A malignant pleural neoplasm that results from asbestosis is - Answer Mesothelioma
,The trapping of bacteria in the pulmonary circulation that occurs in patients with a history of
intravenous drug abuse is called - Answer Septic Embolism
Reduced air volume within a lung leading to collapse is termed - Answer Atelectasis
Why do intrabronchial foreign bodies occur more frequently in the lower right lung? - Answer
Larger and more vertical mainstem bronchi
Blunt or penetrating trauma to the chest can produce _________________, which appears as
streaks of air that outline muscles of the thorax and sometimes the neck. - Answer
Subcutaneous Emphysema
At what costal interspace does the diaphragm lie when the lungs are fully inflated - Answer
Tenth
Air collecting behind the sternum and dissecting up into the soft tissue of the neck is called -
Answer Mediastinal Emphysema (pneumomediastinum)
An accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, sometimes caused by heart failure or pulmonary
embolus, is called - Answer Effusion
What are the two major functions of the respiratory system ? - Answer oxygenation of blood
and removal of waste (CO2)
What does the lower respiratory system consist of? - Answer trachea, bronchi and
bronchioles
The lower respiratory system is responsible for _________________ from the upper respiratory
system. - Answer conducting air
The tracheobronchial tree is lined with a _______________________. - Answer mucous
membrane
What are the hair-like projections found with in the tracheobronchial tree? - Answer cilia
What purpose does cilia serve? - Answer It prevents dust and foreign particles from reaching
the lungs.
, What can happen if cilia become damaged? - Answer When particles are allowed to enter
the respiratory system (because of damage) the foreign particles produce a disease process.
Where does external respiration take place? - Answer in the lung parenchyma (alveoli)
Explain the process of internal respiration: - Answer O2 attaches to hemoglobin molecules in
red blood cells and circulates to various tissues in the body.
During respiration which muscles are stimulated to contract? - Answer The diaphragm and
intercostal muscles
What happens to the lungs when the muscles responsible for respiration contract? - Answer
They expand and fill with air
Pulmonary circulation provides the ____________ with oxygenated blood. - Answer body
What is the inner lining surrounding and attached to the lung wall called? - Answer visceral
pleura
Irregular thickening of linear chest markings due to excessively viscous mucus is the
radiographic appearance in what pathology? - Answer Cystic fibrosis
Surfactant consists of lipoproteins and serves what purpose in the respiratory system? - Answer
It provides the proper surface tension in the alveoli, allowing full external respiration.
What types of images best demonstrate a rounded thickening of the epiglottic shadow and
what disease is characteristic of this? - Answer Soft tissue AP and lateral neck images;
Epiglottitis
How are the various types of pneumonia characterized? - Answer by their cause and location
in the lung
How does a lung abscess appear? - Answer As a spherical density with a hazy, poorly defined
periphery. May have air/fluid level
A bacterium that is rod-shaped with a waxy coat allowing it to live outside the body for an
extended time is? - Answer Mycobacterium tuberculosis
