Lesson 1Integrating clinical context: risk factors, timing, pleuritic pain, oxygenation, biomarkers (D-dimer, troponin) and how they change diagnostic weightingThis part shows how to blend scan results with patient details like risks, symptom start time, chest pain on breathing, oxygen levels, and blood tests like D-dimer and troponin to better judge likely causes.
Clinical risk factors for pulmonary embolismTiming of symptoms and disease evolutionPleuritic pain and chest wall tenderness cluesOxygenation, hemodynamics, and imaging choiceBiomarkers and imaging-based risk weightingLesson 2Pitfalls and mimics: motion artifacts, beam-hardening, dependent atelectasis, and contrast timing errorsThis part looks at common reading errors and look-alikes in breath trouble scans, like movement blur, beam issues, base lung collapse, and dye timing problems, with tips to spot and avoid wrong calls.
Recognizing motion and breathing artifactsBeam-hardening and streak artifact mimicsDependent atelectasis versus true consolidationContrast timing errors in CT angiographyChecklist approach to reduce interpretation errorsLesson 3Differential reasoning using signs: PE vs pneumonia vs pulmonary edema vs COPD exacerbationThis part teaches how to compare scan patterns for blood clots in lungs, lung infection, heart-related fluid, and COPD flare-ups, using main signs to list most likely issues in patient terms.
Radiographic patterns of acute pulmonary embolismLobar and bronchopneumonia imaging distinctionsCardiogenic pulmonary edema hallmark signsCOPD exacerbation versus acute infection signsAlgorithmic imaging approach to acute dyspneaLesson 4Structured reporting for acute dyspnea: describing location, size, density, margins, distribution, and associated findingsThis part explains how to organise chest scan reports for breath trouble, focusing on where things are, their size, density, edges, spread, and linked signs for clear, useful doctor notes.
Standardized description of lesion locationReporting lesion size and volumetric assessmentDensity, attenuation, and enhancement patternsMargins, interfaces, and silhouette descriptionDocumenting distribution and ancillary findingsLesson 5Modalities selection: indications and strengths of chest X-ray vs CT pulmonary angiographyThis part weighs chest X-ray against CT lung vessel scan for breath trouble, covering when to use each, strengths, limits, radiation, and dye risks to pick the right scan for the patient.
Initial role of chest X-ray in dyspnea workupIndications for CT pulmonary angiographyContraindications and risk–benefit balancingRadiation dose and contrast nephrotoxicityAlternative imaging when CTPA is unsuitableLesson 6Semiologic meaning of chest signs: acute vs chronic, alveolar vs interstitial, cardiogenic vs noncardiogenic pulmonary edemaThis part makes clear what key chest scan signs mean, sorting new from old changes, air sac from tissue patterns, and heart from non-heart fluid using spread, background, and extra clues.
Acute versus chronic parenchymal changesAlveolar consolidation versus interstitial patternCardiogenic versus noncardiogenic edema signsRole of distribution and symmetry in patternsAncillary signs refining semiologic interpretationLesson 7Systematic chest X-ray interpretation: zones, lines, silhouettes, and cardiothoracic ratioThis part gives a step-by-step way to read chest X-rays for breath trouble patients, dividing into areas, checking lines and tubes, silhouette clues, and heart-chest size balance.
Quality checks: rotation, inspiration, exposureLung zones and systematic search patternEvaluation of lines, tubes, and devicesSilhouette sign and mediastinal contoursCardiothoracic ratio and heart size limitsLesson 8Pulmonary embolism signs on CT: filling defects, right ventricular strain, pulmonary infarct patterns, mosaic perfusionThis part highlights CT signs of lung blood clots in breath trouble, covering vessel blocks, right heart stress, lung damage shapes, patchy blood flow, and risk levels.
Central and segmental filling defect patternsSubsegmental emboli and technical limitationsCT markers of right ventricular strainPulmonary infarct and wedge-shaped opacitiesMosaic perfusion and differential diagnosesLesson 9Key chest imaging signs: pneumothorax, consolidation, air bronchogram, ground-glass opacity, interstitial markings, Kerley B linesThis part covers main chest scan signs for breath trouble like air leaks, solid areas, air in solid, hazy patches, tissue lines, and Kerley lines, with spotting tips and patient links.
Radiographic and CT signs of pneumothoraxConsolidation and air bronchogram correlationGround-glass opacity: causes and patternsInterstitial markings and reticular patternsKerley B lines and pulmonary venous congestionLesson 10Systematic chest CT interpretation: lung windows, mediastinal windows, vascular phases, and protocol selectionThis part outlines a full check for chest CT in breath trouble, using lung and centre views, vessel stages, scan plans, reviewing airways, lung tissue, lining, and centre structures.
Lung window assessment of parenchymal diseaseMediastinal windows for nodes and massesVascular phases in CT pulmonary angiographyProtocol selection in unstable dyspneic patientsStructured checklist for chest CT review
