Lesson 1Integrating clinical context: risk factors, timing, pleuritic pain, oxygenation, biomarkers (D-dimer, troponin) and how they change diagnostic weightingThis section explains how to blend imaging with clinical context in acute dyspnoea, factoring in risk elements, symptom timing, pleuritic pain, oxygenation levels, and biomarkers like D‑dimer and troponin to fine-tune diagnostic odds.
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 section covers common interpretive pitfalls and mimics in acute dyspnoea imaging, such as motion artefacts, beam‑hardening, dependent atelectasis, and contrast timing glitches, with strategies to spot and cut down diagnostic slip-ups.
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 section shows how to compare imaging patterns of pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, cardiogenic oedema, and COPD flare-up, using core semiologic signs to create a prioritised, clinically sound differential diagnosis.
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 section outlines how to structure chest imaging reports for acute dyspnoea, stressing standard descriptions of lesion location, size, density, margins, distribution, and linked findings for reliable, practical communication.
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 section weighs up chest X‑ray and CT pulmonary angiography for acute dyspnoea, covering indications, strengths, limits, and radiation plus contrast factors to guide fitting, patient-focused modality choice.
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 section unpacks the semiologic meaning of major chest imaging signs, separating acute from chronic shifts, alveolar from interstitial patterns, and cardiogenic from non-cardiogenic oedema via distribution, context, and extra findings.
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 section offers a step-by-step method for chest X‑ray review in breathless patients, including zoning, checking lines and tubes, silhouette sign use, and heart size plus mediastinal outline assessment.
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 section zooms in on CT signs of pulmonary embolism in acute dyspnoea, covering direct vessel findings, right ventricular strain markers, infarct patterns, mosaic perfusion, and their role in risk grading.
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 section recaps essential chest imaging signs for acute dyspnoea, like pneumothorax, consolidation, air bronchograms, ground‑glass opacities, interstitial markings, and Kerley B lines, highlighting recognition and clinical meaning.
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 section lays out a systematic chest CT approach for acute dyspnoea, including lung and mediastinal windows, vascular phases, protocol tweaks, and structured checks of airways, lung tissue, pleura, and mediastinum.
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
