Lesson 1Cardiac silhouette and pericardial contours: right and left heart borders, normal cardiothoracic ratioThis covers the normal heart shape on PA chest x-rays, including right and left heart edges, big vessel lines, and heart-to-chest size. It shows how to measure, explain, and tell normal changes from real heart enlargement.
Right heart border and right atrial interfaceLeft heart border and left ventricular contourPulmonary artery segment and aortic knobMeasuring the cardiothoracic ratio on PAPericardial fat pads and normal variantsLesson 2Lungs zones and common normal variants: apices, mid zones, bases, emphysematous changes, scarring vs. acute processesThis looks at splitting lungs into top, middle, and bottom parts on PA x-rays. It talks about usual normal changes like light scars, air pocket changes, and age patterns, and how to separate them from sudden sickness.
Defining apical, mid, and basal lung zonesNormal vascular pattern in each lung zoneApical pleural thickening and old scarringAge-related hyperinflation and emphysemaDistinguishing chronic change from acute opacityLesson 3Pleura and diaphragms: costophrenic angles, hemidiaphragm contours, normal pleural reflectionsThis checks normal lung lining and breathing muscle shapes on PA chest x-rays. It focuses on side angles, half-muscle shapes, stomach air bubble, and fine lining lines to avoid calling fluid or air leaks wrongly.
Sharp costophrenic and cardiophrenic anglesRight versus left hemidiaphragm heightGastric bubble and subdiaphragmatic gasNormal pleural reflections and fissure linesSubpulmonic effusion mimics and pitfallsLesson 4Common technical pitfalls and how they alter anatomy appearance: rotation, AP vs PA projection effects, under/overexposureThis explains how machine settings change how chest looks on PA and AP x-rays. It looks at turning, angle, light, and breathing in, showing how each can look like sickness or hide it, and how to spot bad pictures.
Assessing rotation using clavicular headsAP versus PA projection and heart sizeEffects of underexposure on lung detailEffects of overexposure on mediastinal linesInadequate inspiration and crowding of vesselsLesson 5Mediastinal and central thoracic landmarks: trachea, carina, main bronchi, aortic knuckle, superior mediastinumThis reviews main middle chest points on PA chest x-rays. It stresses seeing normal places, shapes, and links of air pipe, big vessels, and top middle chest to tell normal from sickness.
Tracheal air column and midline alignmentCarina position and main bronchi anglesAortic knuckle and aortopulmonary windowSuperior mediastinal width and contoursRight and left paratracheal stripesLesson 6Chest wall and osseous structures: ribs, clavicles, scapulae, vertebral bodies and typical appearances on PA viewThis covers normal look of chest wall and bones on PA x-rays. It includes ribs, collar bones, shoulder blades, chest bone, and back bone, stressing straight lines, bone edges, and harmless changes that look like sickness.
Anterior and posterior rib contoursClavicular alignment and rotation cluesScapular borders and projection artifactsThoracic vertebral bodies and disc spacesSternal and costochondral joint variantsLesson 7Reference sources and image atlas orientation: how to use standard textbooks and online radiology teaching libraries to confirm normal appearancesThis guides using books and online picture collections to check normal chest x-ray looks. It covers finding your way, search ways, and matching patient pictures with good normal examples for learning on your own.
Selecting core chest radiology textbooksNavigating online teaching file librariesComparing patient films with normal atlasesUsing annotated images to learn landmarksBuilding a personal reference image archiveLesson 8Systematic reporting checklist for a normal PA chest X-ray: at least 10 structures to comment on and sample normal descriptionsThis gives a clear, repeatable list for reading a normal PA chest x-ray. It guides you through checking lines, bones, soft parts, lungs, linings, middle chest, heart, breathing muscle, and upper belly with normal example words.
Initial image details and technical assessmentSoft tissues, chest wall, and visible neckBones: ribs, clavicles, scapulae, spineMediastinum, trachea, and cardiac silhouetteLungs, hila, pleura, diaphragm, upper abdomenLesson 9External patient factors and correct PA technique: positioning, inspiration, rotation, exposureThis describes right patient placing and PA method for chest x-rays. It points out effects of turning, breathing in, shoulder placing, and light on picture quality, with real rules for keeping or redoing pictures.
Standard PA positioning and focal distanceChin, scapulae, and arm placementEvaluating adequacy of inspiration on PARotation assessment using spinous processesExposure criteria for mediastinum and lungsLesson 10Pulmonary hila and vasculature: pulmonary arteries and veins, bronchovascular markings, hilar symmetryThis details normal look of lung roots and blood vessels on PA x-rays. It stresses places, sizes, and thicknesses of root shadows, air vessel marks, and even tapering from center to outer lung parts.
Right versus left hilar position and heightNormal hilar vessel size and densityBronchovascular markings to lung peripheryVascular tapering and pruning patternsRecognizing normal hilar lymph node silhouettes
