Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that can occur at any age, but more often in children. It is divided by etiology (causative agents), severity, localization of inflammation (focal, croupous, segmental, basal, etc.). Photos of pneumonia can be seen below.
Causes
Like any disease, pneumonia occurs on the basis of certain conditions. Inflammation can develop with:
- lung damage with pneumococcus;
- the development of other coccal infections;
- hypothermia and complications of acute respiratory viral infections (as a result of improper treatment);
- as a complication in childhood infections - measles, chickenpox, rubella;
- decreased immunity;
- immunodeficiency state in other diseases.
Symptoms
Pneumonia is manifested by such signs:
- weakness, hyperhidrosis;
- fatigue and headaches;
- decreased appetite and myalgia;
- chest pain;
- shortness of breath at rest and palpitations.
In addition to these general manifestations, the clinic depends on the severity of the lesion. This can manifest itself in the form of high fever, a change of dry cough to wet with the release of purulent sputum, pallor of the skin and cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle.
Treatment for pneumonia is necessary, otherwise everything can end fatally. Pneumonia is especially severe in babies. That is why timely diagnosis is important.
Pneumonia can be determined using auscultation and clinic data; a blood test (a picture of leukocytosis), an instrumental study - fluorography (FLG) or an X-ray of the lungs - a picture of the lungs with pneumonia.
Radiography is not prescribed to everyone, but only in the case of a combination of several of the indicated symptoms. Therefore, to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor may not prescribe a radiography to each patient.
Of course, an x-ray can not be done. But then it will be difficult for the doctor to orient on the subject of what actually happens in the lungs. Therefore, the fight against pneumonia can be ineffective. Therefore, with pulmonary pathologies, X-ray is an extremely important procedure.
FLH is carried out annually for preventive purposes, during medical examination.
X-ray - is already used for complete diagnosis and confirmation of data from FLG. There are frequent cases when an x-ray is prescribed.
A second shot of pneumonia is done to identify the intensity of changing shadows during treatment, to differentiate the type of pneumonia - the degree of damage to segments or lobes, and also to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
X-ray contraindications
Contraindications should be minimal. This is especially important during pregnancy.
If the benefits of radiography outweigh, they are carried out, but with all the precautions: lead aprons are used, the number of x-rays is minimal, the number of studies is stopped.
It is also contraindicated:
- children up to 14-16 years old;
- in serious condition of the patient;
- with bleeding.
What are the methods based on?
The method is based on the property of an X-ray beam to pass through opaque tissues, while maintaining its activity. This also applies to chest x-ray, x-ray, fluoroscopy. The methods differ only in the dose of radiation and the method of obtaining the picture.
An x-ray is a negative, so the dimming on it is white and vice versa. The human body consists of different tissues and all of them have different degrees of absorption of x-rays.
In the picture of lungs with pneumonia, it turns out that the negative colors the densest parts white, and the bones, including the empty parts, turn black, the organs give gray colors of different shades.
The end result of the picture is heterogeneous. With healthy lungs, the structure is just different uniformity. If pneumonia is present, in the x-rays, the darkened areas of the seals indicate foci of inflammation. Highlighted areas are airy fabrics. The diagnosis of pneumonia in the picture is made when there are:
- single or multiple spots;
- segmental seals;
- light and darkened specific areas;
- altered lung roots.
What does pneumonia look like on an x-ray
The foci of inflammation are small - no more than 3 mm, medium size - no more than 8 mm. With a size of 8-12 mm, they talk about large areas of the lesion. In addition, dimming can be different in prevalence in one segment.
Croupous pneumonia
X-ray images of croupous pneumonia look like a large blackout of medium intensity. It can be on one or both lungs.
The dome of the diaphragm turns out to be changed, shadows of infiltration appear - on either side or both, the mediastinum also moves towards the lesion. The lung pattern is completely deformed.
Focal pneumonia
It is difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages. With focal pneumonia, the seals are small and they are called infiltrates (always lead to an increase and expansion of the lung root). In the early days of the disease, infiltrates may not be detected, but soon an inflammatory focus of compaction appears in their place.
X-ray pneumonia in children
Inflammation in children proceeds with frequent complications in the absence of proper treatment. The process of transition of even minimal infiltrate into croupous pneumonia is a frequent and abrupt phenomenon.
A picture of pneumonia in children often reveals the following picture to doctors: infiltrates of no more than 2 mm, lymph nodes are poorly visualized, inflamed areas are dense and block the root of the lungs. The pattern of the lungs is disturbed, the lung tissue is swollen. This creates additional difficulties in the diagnosis. In addition, children's lungs have a small volume, and a large number of inflammatory elements of the lung pattern per unit area.
Interstitial pneumonia
In the case of interstitial pneumonia in an adult, the image reflects the enlarged root of the lung due to radical inflammatory infiltration. The peribronchial patches in this case are densified. The bronchovascular bundle is unevenly expanded.
FLH - as a method for the diagnosis of pneumonia
Fluorography in its essence consists in the passage of X-rays through the human chest and transferring the result to the screen, and then to the film.
The method is primarily needed for the detection of TB, oncology, and the study of other organs. FLG can detect:
- inflammatory changes in the bronchi and lung tissue that accompany pneumonia;
- exudation in the lungs;
- proliferation of connective tissue in some lung diseases.
Benefits of FLG
This technique for studying the signs of pneumonia has its positive aspects. The advantages of fluorography include:
- low dose;
- profitability;
- the possibility of mass application;
- quick result;
- it is possible to create an archive of images due to their small size.
Types of fluorography
Film FLG is the cheapest diagnostic method, but in 15% of cases there is no exact result, a marriage occurs, which is why the study has to be repeated. And this is the second dose of radiation. In addition, the picture is obtained only in 1 copy.
Digital FLG does not have these drawbacks and the radiation dose is lower. With modern software, the doctor can examine the image after the examination.
Data is saved, and if necessary, after digital lung fluorography, the patient may be asked to print the number of shots he needs. This is necessary in difficult cases of diagnosis, when you need to contact several doctors.
Fluorography remains today still a preventive diagnostic method. Every year, the population of the Russian Federation, over 18 years old, undergoes fluorography.
Fluorography Pneumonia
In each case, in the lower part of the lungs, inflammatory sites are visible in such images. Identified foci of inflammation larger than 5 mm, which are located on clean areas of the lungs. But during subsequent x-ray diagnostics, these foci are not always confirmed.
In fluorography, the pattern is not always clear. Suspicion of the development of pneumonia in the picture occurs due to visible foci of infiltration, as well as spots on the background of the shadow of the heart. Even 1 deviation requires further diagnosis.
In addition, the presence of thin linear shadows is considered a sign of pneumonia on the FLG, but they are often fuzzy. Therefore, only an experienced doctor can figure this out.
When it comes to pneumonia in newborns against the background of congenital immunodeficiencies, an increased pulmonary pattern is also detected on the FLG. Other signs of the disease can be detected only by the third month of life.
The presence of multiple infiltrates in the lower lobes of the lungs will also speak about the development of pneumonia in the fluorography picture.
To determine their clear localization, additional research will be needed in the side and aim projections. If there are segmental seals, they speak in favor of croupous pneumonia. The expanded root of the lungs in children on FLH indicates acute bronchitis or edema of the bronchi.
Fluorography and X-ray for the detection of pneumonia
It is possible to detect pneumonia using fluorography, but further, as a rule, additional examinations are usually inevitable. Why? Despite such a number of characteristic features, fluorography will not always show pathology.
It will reveal the presence of pneumonia in the image, but it is difficult to diagnose its origin, stage and appearance when using FLG alone. Pictures with FLG are always taken only in 1 projection. Image sizes are very small to detect changes in detail.
Some types of pneumonia on FLG are not determined at all:
- Pneumocystis. Marked pulmonary pattern, as well as intense pneumatization.
- Mycoplasma and chlamydia. There are no characteristic changes in the fluorographic image.
So it turns out that a panoramic x-ray of the lungs is much more informative and valuable: both the images are larger and better visible, and the radiation dose received by the patient is generally less.
If you look for small foci of pneumonia in the picture, you will need an x-ray of the lungs in several projections.
As a result, it is impossible to make a specific diagnosis only with the help of FLG. It is often used for:
- identify processes of proliferation of fibrous and connective tissue;
- detecting foreign bodies in the chest;
- determination of pneumothorax;
- control the location of catheters and tubes in the vessels, respiratory tract and chambers of the heart;
- assessment of the state of the chest during injuries.
X-ray features
X-ray today is also divided into film and digital. The sensitivity of the X-ray screen is higher than with fluorography. But the amount of radiation is greater, because the x-ray irradiates all internal organs. And not just the chest.
What to choose: X-ray or fluorography
An x-ray allows the doctor to examine the condition of the lungs more closely and make a diagnosis. But this does not detract from the value of FLG. In diagnosis, both methods are important.
Although fluorography is not the most informative diagnostic method, it can help in identifying lung pathology. Therefore, you should not avoid it, because its benefits in the case of early diagnosis are enormous.