Advanced Chest Imaging Interpretation of Acute Pulmonary Disorders

Bedside and advanced practice nurses in acute and critical care often view chest radiologic images of their patients. Correlation of findings on chest radiologic images with results of physical and other diagnostic assessments can provide information for making appropriate clinical judgments. Radiologic images of the chest available for acutely ill patients now include frontal/lateral chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans. The purpose of this article is for the reader to review basic skills for interpreting chest radiographs, gain skill in reviewing CT scans of the chest, and be able to apply more advanced interpretation skills for both chest radiographs and chest CT scans. Several chest images are included for review.