What Do My Digital X-ray Test Results Indicate?
got digital xray done. Report is as below.
cardiac shadow is enlarged. Bilateral hilar and pulmonary congestion noted. Bony thorax is normal. Right costophrenic angle is blunted - suggestive of basal effusion.
What does this mean?
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query, albeit short and specific.
Notes your symptoms.
Te report read and can be explained as follows: I shall try as much as possible.
Cardiac shadow is enlarged.
> Cardiac means related to heart. The X-rays is showing that the shadow of the heart it is showing is more than the normal measurements. It is less than half of the rib cage. There are many physiological and pathological reasons, physiologically when the heart is in the filling stage and the X-ray is snapped can show a borderline enlargement. Pathological reasons have to be investigated by the Cardiologist.
Bilateral hilar and pulmonary congestion noted.
> Congestion means more fluid in the tissues. Hilar means the shadow near the heart where the major vessels enter in or exit. Pulmonary means related to the lung proper. The X-ray is showing the changes of increased fluid in the said areas.
Bony thorax is normal.
> The bones which make the thoracic cage and can be seen in the X-rays is normal.
Right costophrenic angle is blunted - suggestive of basal effusion.
> If you see the X-ray, the shadow of the lungs on the most outer and inferior (down) part tapers like a pencil does, the one on the right side is blunted means not sharp. This appears when it is filled with fluid, that is called basal effusion.
I hope this answers your query.