Thoracic CT
Computed tomography (CT) is very useful in respirology becuase it avoid shadows. It is created by measuring attenuation coefficients of a 1cm thick axial beam in many projections.
Important uses of CT include:
- evaluation of pulmonary nodules/masses
- distinguishing pleural thickening from pleural fluid
- estimation the size of the heart
- identifying pericardial fluid or thickening
- identifying patterns of involvement in interstital lung disease
- detecting and defining cavities
- identifying intracavitary processes such as mycetomas or fluid
- quantifying the extent and distribution of COPD
- detecting and measuring mediastinal adenopathy or masses
- evaluating proximal clots in pulmonary arteries
Spiral CT scans are useful in detecting acute PE.