Comprehensive Radiographic Pathology - Ch.
3: Respiratory System Questions and Answers
Defined as a rare accumulation of infected liquid of frank pus in the pleural space.
✔️✔️Empyema
How is empyema caused? ✔️✔️Usually caused by the spread of an infection (e.g., bacterial
pneumonia, subdiaphragmatic abscess, lung abscess, and esophageal perforation).
Can empyema be caused by thoracic surgery, trauma, or instrumental of the pleural space?
✔️✔️Yes
What does the pathology of Pneumothorax consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Air in pleural cavity.
Image Appearance: Peripheral radiolucency without pulmonary markings.
Treatment: Small-none (reabsorbed)
Large-chest tube with suction.
What does the pathology of Pleural Effusion consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Fluid in pleural cavity.
Image Appearance: Fluid level-best seen on lateral decubitus
Treatment: Thoracentesis to remove fluid.
What does the pathology of Empyema consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Infected fluid in pleural cavity.
,Image Appearance: Lesion-loculated fluid; possible air-fluid level.
Treatment: Needle aspiration with possible drain placement.
How many compartments is the mediastinum comprised of? ✔️✔️3
What are the compartments of the mediastinum? ✔️✔️Anterior-extends from the sternum back
to the trachea and the anterior border of the heart.
Middle-contains the heart, great vessels, central tracheobronchial tree, lymph nodes, and the
phrenic nerves.
Posterior-is the space behind the pericardium.
What are the anterior mediastinal masses? ✔️✔️Thymomas
Teratoma
Thyroid masses
Lipomas
Lymphoma
What are the pathologies for middle mediastinal masses? ✔️✔️Lymph node disorders
Bronchogenic cysts
Vascular anomalies
Masses in the anterior costophrenic angle
What are the lymph node disorders? ✔️✔️Lymphoma
Metastatic carcinoma
,Granulomatous processes
What are the pathologies for the posterior mediastinal masses? ✔️✔️Neurogenic tumors
Neurogenic cysts
Aneurysms of the descending aorta
Extramedullary hematopoiesis
What are the disorders of the diaphragm? ✔️✔️Diaphragmatic paralysis
Evetration of the diaphragm
Other causes of elevation of the diaphragm
Caused by any process that interferes with the phrenic nerve, also shows on images as the
elevation of one or both leaves. It also results in diminished lung volume. ✔️✔️Diaphragmatic
paralysis
A rare congenital abnormality in which on hemidiaphragm is poorly developed and weak, it
permits the upward movement of abdominal contents into the thoracic cage. It is more
common on the left and is usually asymptomatic. ✔️✔️Evetration of the diaphragm
What are some other causes of diaphragm elevation? ✔️✔️Ascites
Obesity
Pregnancy
Any other process in which the intraabdominal volume is increased
What does the pathology of Thymoma consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Anterior mediastinum
Image Appearance: Cystic Masses - compress, producing multioculated appearance
, Treatment: Exision of lesion because of difficult differential diagnosis.
What other pathologies share the same pathologic information as Thymoma? ✔️✔️Teratoma
Thyroid mass
Lipoma
Lymphoma
What does the pathology of Lymph Node Disorders consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Middle
mediastinum
Image Appearance: Cystic Masses - compress, producing multioculated appearance
Treatment: Exision of lesion because of difficult differential diagnosis.
What other pathologies share the same pathologic information as Lymph Node Disorders?
✔️✔️Bronchogenic cysts
Vascular anomalies
What does the pathology of Neurogenic Tumors consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Posterior
mediastinum
Image Appearance: Cystic Masses - compress, producing multioculated appearance
Treatment: Exision of lesion because of difficult differential diagnosis.
What other pathologies share the same pathologic information as Neurogenic Tumors?
✔️✔️Neurogenic cysts
Aneurysms
3: Respiratory System Questions and Answers
Defined as a rare accumulation of infected liquid of frank pus in the pleural space.
✔️✔️Empyema
How is empyema caused? ✔️✔️Usually caused by the spread of an infection (e.g., bacterial
pneumonia, subdiaphragmatic abscess, lung abscess, and esophageal perforation).
Can empyema be caused by thoracic surgery, trauma, or instrumental of the pleural space?
✔️✔️Yes
What does the pathology of Pneumothorax consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Air in pleural cavity.
Image Appearance: Peripheral radiolucency without pulmonary markings.
Treatment: Small-none (reabsorbed)
Large-chest tube with suction.
What does the pathology of Pleural Effusion consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Fluid in pleural cavity.
Image Appearance: Fluid level-best seen on lateral decubitus
Treatment: Thoracentesis to remove fluid.
What does the pathology of Empyema consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Infected fluid in pleural cavity.
,Image Appearance: Lesion-loculated fluid; possible air-fluid level.
Treatment: Needle aspiration with possible drain placement.
How many compartments is the mediastinum comprised of? ✔️✔️3
What are the compartments of the mediastinum? ✔️✔️Anterior-extends from the sternum back
to the trachea and the anterior border of the heart.
Middle-contains the heart, great vessels, central tracheobronchial tree, lymph nodes, and the
phrenic nerves.
Posterior-is the space behind the pericardium.
What are the anterior mediastinal masses? ✔️✔️Thymomas
Teratoma
Thyroid masses
Lipomas
Lymphoma
What are the pathologies for middle mediastinal masses? ✔️✔️Lymph node disorders
Bronchogenic cysts
Vascular anomalies
Masses in the anterior costophrenic angle
What are the lymph node disorders? ✔️✔️Lymphoma
Metastatic carcinoma
,Granulomatous processes
What are the pathologies for the posterior mediastinal masses? ✔️✔️Neurogenic tumors
Neurogenic cysts
Aneurysms of the descending aorta
Extramedullary hematopoiesis
What are the disorders of the diaphragm? ✔️✔️Diaphragmatic paralysis
Evetration of the diaphragm
Other causes of elevation of the diaphragm
Caused by any process that interferes with the phrenic nerve, also shows on images as the
elevation of one or both leaves. It also results in diminished lung volume. ✔️✔️Diaphragmatic
paralysis
A rare congenital abnormality in which on hemidiaphragm is poorly developed and weak, it
permits the upward movement of abdominal contents into the thoracic cage. It is more
common on the left and is usually asymptomatic. ✔️✔️Evetration of the diaphragm
What are some other causes of diaphragm elevation? ✔️✔️Ascites
Obesity
Pregnancy
Any other process in which the intraabdominal volume is increased
What does the pathology of Thymoma consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Anterior mediastinum
Image Appearance: Cystic Masses - compress, producing multioculated appearance
, Treatment: Exision of lesion because of difficult differential diagnosis.
What other pathologies share the same pathologic information as Thymoma? ✔️✔️Teratoma
Thyroid mass
Lipoma
Lymphoma
What does the pathology of Lymph Node Disorders consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Middle
mediastinum
Image Appearance: Cystic Masses - compress, producing multioculated appearance
Treatment: Exision of lesion because of difficult differential diagnosis.
What other pathologies share the same pathologic information as Lymph Node Disorders?
✔️✔️Bronchogenic cysts
Vascular anomalies
What does the pathology of Neurogenic Tumors consist of? ✔️✔️Location: Posterior
mediastinum
Image Appearance: Cystic Masses - compress, producing multioculated appearance
Treatment: Exision of lesion because of difficult differential diagnosis.
What other pathologies share the same pathologic information as Neurogenic Tumors?
✔️✔️Neurogenic cysts
Aneurysms
