How does bronchitis on x-ray?

Why is prescribed x-ray with bronchitis? Can you see bronchitis on x-ray? How informative x-ray examination? Usually these issues concern all who are faced with this kind of problem.

A chest x-ray enables the most accurate diagnosis, to detect obstruction (a condition where the Airways are clogged and disturbed ventilation of the lungs), to prescribe effective treatment. It is possible to recognize other dangerous diseases, lurking under the mask of bronchitis, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, timely diagnosis of lung cancer.

However, the cargo acts as an additional examination method, as it is "hidden". This means that x-rays do not reflect the structure of the bronchial tree in the picture (they pass through), and to determine x-ray inflammatory processes is possible only on circumstantial evidence, i.e. bronchitis on x-ray is difficult to determine, you must carefully analyze. Therefore, in a medical report, you can see the following: "the picture is similar to the bronchitis. However, at the initial stage for preliminary diagnosis x-ray examination is indispensable.

Kinds of bronchitis, symptoms and treatment

Bronchitis is quite common in the present disease. Its appearance can lead to viral or bacterial infection, and professional characteristics, Smoking, allergic reactions.

Bronchitis accompanied by inflammatory process in the bronchi and is a severe disease of the respiratory system.

As a rule, bronchitis two times more common in men than women. At risk are smokers and the elderly.

Bronchitis is divided into two forms: acute and chronic. The acute form of bronchitis can easily become chronic, and in some cases lead to serious complications, if you do not begin timely and proper treatment.

The main symptom for the other forms of bronchitis is a cough.

For acute form is characterized, in addition to cough, also the following symptoms:

• the rise in temperature to 39 degrees, accompanied by chills and sweating;
• General weakness and fatigue;
• runny nose;
• pain in the throat.

During the examination the doctor reveals wheezing, hard breathing.

These symptoms may be expressed in different ways, weaker or stronger. Acute bronchitis lasts about 10 days to 2 weeks.

Forchronic form characterized by:

• deep cough with separation of mucous expectoration scanty;
• shortness of breath during physical exertion, malaise;
• spasms in the throat, wheezing.

Chronic bronchitis can be as independent disease, and is reborn from the acute form.

In the treatment of bronchitis is assigned to bed or polupostelny mode, regular warm and drink plenty of liquids. Depending on the forms, causes and stage of the disease the doctor appointed by the anti-inflammatory and expectorant drugs, cough drops, inhalations. In the chronic form of trying to achieve long-term remission and reduce the rate of damage of the bronchial mucosa.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination to establish a correct diagnosis.

Radiological diagnosis of bronchitis

The patient to determine the exact diagnosis assigned clinical and biochemical analysis of blood, sputum, swab from the throat on flora and fungi. The doctor will examine the chest, assigns spirometry (pulmonary function tests) in obstructive (complicated) form or to identify chronic bronchitis. May be conducted other studies indicated. In patients with recurrent or obstructive bronchitis obligatory x-ray examination.

In simple uncomplicated bronchitis on radiographs is unlikely you will see any changes, therefore, for radiographic studies need to be certain indications.

Radiological diagnosis may be indicated when such symptoms as:

• prolonged fever, shortness of breath;
• the changed composition of the blood;
• ineffectual treatment (if, of course, x-rays have not yet been made);
• examination of the effectiveness of treatment.

Contraindications to x-ray

Any absolute limitations to assign an x-ray of lungs and bronchi is not only if the patient is in a serious condition, or the patient is a pregnant woman. But even in these cases, if the health risks are significant and pose the greatest threat, the diagnosis is still carried out, screening the stomach of the patient.

Patients often wonder: how many times a year it is safe to do a chest x-ray? Because every time when x-ray a person is exposed to radiation. Harmless, in a sense, the radiation dose is the dose to 1 mSv per year (during the x-ray light dose of from about 0.3 to 3 mSv).

The main signs of bronchitis affecting the x-ray

When x-ray diagnostics to determinebronchitis in the picture pay attention to the following signs:

• visibility plate foci of collapsed tissue;
• small areas of infiltration (accumulation in lung tissues fluids and other chemicals and elements);
• changes pulmonary pattern, small vessels become invisible;
• the root of the lung increases and spreads, that is deformed;
• the fuzzy contours;
• the bronchial walls are thickened.

In advanced cases, in the picture you can see signs of emphysema:

• visible areas of tissue that are completely devoid of blood vessels;
• pulmonary drawing very much disturbed;
• detected cavities (bubbles), unnaturally large amount of air in the lower part of the lungs.

The radiologist typically describes the following:

• the identified deformation and diffuse increased pulmonary pattern due to the interstitial component;
• widespread pulmonary fibrosis.

In simple terms, it's pulmonary edema caused by inflammation; proliferation of connective tissue of the walls of the bronchi and the tissue surrounding them, which leads to a distortion of the bronchi.

In the chronic form of the disease x-ray examination helps to identify the affected area and the nature of the pathology in the bronchi and lung tissue, which depends on the duration of the inflammatory process.

Obstructive bronchitis on x-ray

With obstructive bronchitis the main described above, the characteristics are added as follows:

• the increase in transparency of the lung background with increasing ventilation of the alveoli (air is transparent to x-rays);
• aperture thickened, pushed downward, the smoothness of its domes;
• the heart is positioned vertically;
• evident violation of blood circulation in a small circle, thus formed congestive changes, chronic reaction of the lung parenchyma close to the roots.

On this picture visible focal redundancy of lung pattern and its deformation in the lower lobe of the right lung.

In severe stage of obstructive bronchitis changes dramatically as the roots of the bronchial tree on the x-ray picture: clearly visible the vagueness of their boundaries, the strengthening of the figure, the thickening of the walls of the bronchial tubes, reducing their structure.

In severe bronchitis requires bilateral exploration. X-rays in this case is carried out by turns for one and the second light with a five-day break.

Therefore, x-ray images it is possible to see a sufficient number of indirectsigns that help to make a correct diagnosis.

Despite the fact that this survey is optional, in some cases it is still necessary.

Bronchography x-ray examination

Bronchography examination, which is carried out using a contrast agent. It gives the most complete data on the structure of the respiratory tract and the presence of any formations. This study is one of the most informative methods to date. But bronhografii is preceded by a bronchoscopy (examination of the translucence). These methods are used in extreme cases as cause patients considerable discomfort.

A bronchography performed under local anaesthetic. The patient introduces a warm contrast. Contrast material under x-ray control screen.