Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that can occur at any age, but is more common in children. It is divided according to etiology (the pathogens that caused it), severity, localization of inflammation (focal, croupous, segmental, radical, etc.). Photo shots for pneumonia can be seen below.
Reasons
Like any disease, pneumonia occurs on the basis of certain prerequisites. Inflammation can develop when:
- pneumococcal lung disease;
- development of other coccal infections;
- hypothermia and complications of SARS (as a result of improper treatment);
- as a complication of childhood infections - measles, chickenpox, rubella;
- decreased immunity;
- immunodeficiency in other diseases.
Symptoms
Pneumonia is manifested by the following symptoms:
- weakness, hyperhidrosis;
- fatigue and headaches;
- decreased appetite and myalgia;
- chest pain;
- dyspnea inrest and increased heart rate.
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, change from dry cough to wet with purulent sputum, pallor of the skin and cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle.
Treatment for pneumonia is mandatory, otherwise everything can end fatally. Pneumonia is especially severe in children. That's why early 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 assigned to everyone, but only in the case of a combination of several of these symptoms. Therefore, to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor may not prescribe an x-ray for every patient.
Of course, X-rays may not be done. But then it will be difficult for the doctor to orientate on the subject of what is actually happening in the lungs. Consequently, the fight against pneumonia may be ineffective. Therefore, in case of pulmonary pathologies, X-ray is an extremely important procedure.
FLG is carried out annually for preventive purposes, during medical examinations.
X-ray - is already used for complete diagnosis and confirmation of data from FLG. It is not uncommon for an X-ray to be repeated.
A second shot of pneumonia is done to detect the intensity of changing shadows during treatment, to differentiate the type of pneumonia - the degree of damage to the segments or lobes, andalso to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
Contraindications for x-rays
Contraindications should be minimal. This is especially important during pregnancy.
If the benefit of radiography outweighs, it is carried out, but with all precautions: lead aprons are used, the number of x-rays is minimal, the number of studies is stopped.
It is also contraindicated:
- children under 14-16;
- in a serious condition of the patient;
- for bleeding.
What the methods are 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 fluorography of the chest, x-rays, fluoroscopy. The methods differ only in the dose of radiation and the way the image is obtained.
An x-ray is a negative, so the shadows on it are white and vice versa. The human body is made up of different tissues and all of them have different levels of absorption of X-rays.
In a picture of the lungs with pneumonia, it turns out that the negative colors the most dense parts white, and the bones, including empty parts, make them black, the organs give gray colors of different shades.
The end result of the picture is not uniform. With he althy lungs, the structure is just different. If pneumonia is present, dark areas of induration on x-rays indicate foci of inflammation. Highlighted areas - tissueair. Diagnosis of pneumonia in the picture is made in the case when there are:
- single or multiple spots;
- segmental seals;
- light and dark specific areas;
- altered lung roots.
What pneumonia looks like on x-rays
Inflammatory foci are small - no more than 3 mm, medium size - no more than 8 mm. With a size equal to 8-12 mm, they speak of large lesions. In addition, blackouts can be different in prevalence in one segment.
Croupous pneumonia
X-rays of lobar pneumonia look like a large darkening of medium intensity. It may be on one or both lungs.
The dome of the diaphragm is changed, shadows of infiltration appear - on either side or both, the mediastinum also shifts towards the lesion. The pattern of the lungs is completely deformed.
Local 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 root of the lungs). In the first days of the disease, infiltrates may not be detected, but soon an inflammatory focus of compaction appears in their place.
Pneumonia on x-rays in children
Inflammation in children occurs with frequent complications in the absence of proper treatment. The process of transition of even a minimal infiltrate into croupous pneumonia is a frequent and abrupt phenomenon.
Snapshotpneumonia in children often reveals the following picture to doctors: infiltrates no more than 2 mm, lymph nodes are poorly visualized, inflamed areas are dense and overlap the root of the lungs. The pattern of the lungs is disturbed, the lung tissue is swollen. This creates additional difficulties in diagnosis. In addition, children's lungs have a small volume, and there are 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 an enlarged lung root due to hilar inflammatory infiltration. Peribronchial areas in this case are sealed. The bronchovascular bundle is unevenly dilated.
FLG - as a method of diagnosing pneumonia
Fluorography essentially consists in passing X-rays through the human chest and transferring the result to the screen, and then to the film.
The method is primarily needed to detect TB, oncology, and study other organs. FLG can detect:
- inflammatory changes in the bronchi and lung tissue that accompany pneumonia;
- exudation in the lungs;
- growth of connective tissue in some lung diseases.
FLG Benefits
This technique for examining signs of pneumonia has its positive aspects. The advantages of fluorography include:
- low dose;
- economy;
- possibility of mass application;
- quick result;
- there is an opportunitycreating an archive of snapshots 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 less here. With modern software, the doctor can examine the image even after the examination is completed.
The data is stored, and if necessary, after digital fluorography of the lungs, the patient can ask to print the number of images he needs. This may be 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 who has reached the age of 18 undergoes fluorography.
Pneumonia on a fluorography
In the lower part of the lungs on each specific picture in such cases, inflammatory areas are visible. Foci of inflammation larger than 5 mm are determined, which are located in clean areas of the lungs. But during subsequent X-ray diagnostics, these lesions are not always confirmed.
When fluorography, the picture is not always clear. Suspicion of the development of pneumonia in the picture arises from visible foci of infiltration, as well as spots against the background of the shadow of the heart. Even 1 deviation requires further diagnostics.
In addition, the presence of thin linear shadows is considered to be a sign of pneumonia on FLG, but they are often indistinct. Therefore, only an experienced doctor can figure it out.
When it comes to pneumonia in newborns on the background of congenital immunodeficiencies, FLG also reveals an enhanced pulmonary pattern. 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 indicate the development of pneumonia in the fluorography image.
To determine their clear localization, additional research will be needed in the lateral and aim projections. If there are segmental seals, they speak in favor of croupous pneumonia. An expanded root of the lungs in children on FLH indicates acute bronchitis or bronchial edema.
Fluorography and x-rays for detecting pneumonia
It is possible to detect pneumonia with the help of fluorography, but then, as a rule, additional examinations are inevitable. Why? Despite so many characteristic signs, fluorography will not always show pathology.
She will detect the presence of pneumonia in the picture, but it is difficult to diagnose its origin, stage and type using only FLG. Pictures with FLG are always taken in only 1 projection. The size of the image is very small in order to reveal the changes in detail.
Some types of pneumonia on FLG are not detected at all:
- Pneumocystis. There is a pronounced lung pattern, as well as intense pneumatization.
- Mycoplasma and chlamydia. There are no characteristic changes on the fluorographic picture.
So it turns out that the plain x-ray of the lungs is much more informative and valuable: the pictures are larger, and you can see better, 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 more commonly used for:
- detection of processes of proliferation of fibrous and connective tissue;
- detection of foreign bodies in the chest;
- definition of pneumothorax;
- monitoring the location of catheters and tubes in vessels, airways and chambers of the heart;
- Chest injury assessments.
Features of radiography
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 exposure is greater, because X-rays irradiate all internal organs. Not just the chest.
What to choose: x-ray or fluorography
X-rays allow 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 case of early diagnosiscolossal.
