Aspergillus, a type of fungus that lives indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick, but some people get the disease. Learn who is at risk, how it can be prevented, and how it is treated.
Aspergillus fumigatus
Image by CDC/ Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit; Photo credit: Medical Illustrator: Stephanie Rossow
Aspergillosis
Aspergillus fumigatus
Image by CDC/ Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit; Photo credit: Medical Illustrator: Stephanie Rossow
Aspergillus fumigatus
This is a medical illustration of an azole-resistant fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, presented in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publication entitled, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (AR Threats Report). See the link below for more on the topic of antimicrobial resistance (AR).
Image by CDC/ Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit; Photo credit: Medical Illustrator: Stephanie Rossow
Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis is a disease caused by a fungus (or mold) called Aspergillus. The fungus is very common in both indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in the spores of the fungus every day without being affected. But some people get the disease. It usually occurs in people with lung diseases or weakened immune systems.
There are different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (also called ABPA). Symptoms of ABPA include wheezing and coughing. ABPA can affect healthy people but it is most common in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis.
Another kind is invasive aspergillosis, which damages tissues in the body. It usually affects the lungs. Sometimes it can also cause infection in other organs and spread throughout the body. It affects people who have immune system problems, such as people who have had a transplant, are taking high doses of steroids, or getting chemotherapy for some cancers.
Your doctor might do a variety of tests to make the diagnosis, including a chest x-ray, CT scan of the lungs, and an examination of tissues for signs of the fungus. Treatment is with antifungal drugs. If you have ABPA, you may also take steroids.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (3)
What is aspergillosis?
Video by Finn Langley/YouTube
Aspergillosis & Moldy Indoor Environments
Video by Paul Cochrane/YouTube
Aspergillosis - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Video by Rehealthify/YouTube
1:55
What is aspergillosis?
Finn Langley/YouTube
3:33
Aspergillosis & Moldy Indoor Environments
Paul Cochrane/YouTube
1:51
Aspergillosis - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Rehealthify/YouTube
What Is Aspergillosis?
Aspergillosis
Image by CDC/ Dr. Lucille Georg
Aspergillosis
This photomicrograph revealed the presence of Aspergillus fumigatus fungal organisms in a brain tissue, methenamine silver-stained specimen harvested from a turkey poult that had contracted this infection.
Image by CDC/ Dr. Lucille Georg
What Is Aspergillosis?
Aspergillosis is an infection, growth, or allergic response caused by the Aspergillus fungus. There are several different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (also called ABPA), a condition where the fungus causes allergic respiratory symptoms similar to asthma, such as wheezing and coughing, but does not actually invade and destroy tissue.
Another kind of aspergillosis is invasive aspergillosis. This infection usually affects people with weakened immune systems due to cancer, AIDS, leukemia, organ transplantation, chemotherapy, or other conditions or events that reduce the number of normal white blood cells. In this condition, the fungus invades and damages tissues in the body. Invasive aspergillosis most commonly affects the lungs, but can also cause infection in many other organs and can spread throughout the body (commonly affecting the kidneys and brain).
Aspergilloma, a growth (fungus ball) that develops in an area of previous lung disease such as tuberculosis or lung abscess, is a third kind of aspergillosis. This type of aspergillosis is composed of a tangled mass of fungus fibers, blood clots, and white blood cells. The fungus ball gradually enlarges, destroying lung tissue in the process, but usually does not spread to other areas.
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Additional Materials (2)
What is aspergillosis?
Video by Finn Langley/YouTube
Aspergillosis
Video by RWJF Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases/YouTube
Aspergillus is a fungus (or mold) that is very common in the environment. It is found in soil, on plants and in decaying plant matter (like compost). It is also found in household dust, building materials, and even in spices and some food items. There are lots of different types of Aspergillus, but the most common ones are Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. Some others are Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus nidulans, and Aspergillus niger.
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Additional Materials (6)
Aspergillus and Aspergillosis
Video by Paul Cochrane/YouTube
Computer graphic Aspergillus
Video by Aspergillus & Aspergillosis/YouTube
Aspergillus fumigatus
This is a medical illustration of an azole-resistant fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, presented in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publication entitled, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (AR Threats Report). See the link below for more on the topic of antimicrobial resistance (AR).
Image by CDC/ Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit; Photo credit: Medical Illustrator: Stephanie Rossow
Yellowfever mosquito infected with an experimental biocontrol strain of Aspergillus
A yellowfever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) in the late stages of infection with an experimental biocontrol strain of Aspergillus.
Image by USDA Agricultural Research Service/Photo by Jose Luis Ramirez.
Fungal organism, Aspergillus fumigatus
This photomicrograph reveals some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by the fungal organism Aspergillus fumigatus. Of particular importance is the filamentous conidiophore, which ends in a bulbous, spheroid-shaped vesicle. Atop the distal two-thirds of this vesicle, a uniseriate, i.e., single row, of phialides sprout, each of which anchors its respective chain of spherical conidiospores, which are the asexual reproductive structures of this organism.
Of the 47 patients with laboratory confirmed fungal meningitis as of October 17, 2012, Exserohilum rostratum had been found in clinical specimens for all but two patients. Of the other two patients, one had been found to be infected with Aspergillus fumigatus and one with Cladosporium.See the link below providing additional information about this outbreak.Aspergillus is a common fungus that can be found in indoor and outdoor environments. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without being affected. Aspergillosis is a disease caused by this fungus and usually occurs in people with lung diseases or weakened immune systems. The spectrum of illness includes allergic reactions, lung infections, and infections in other organs.
Image by CDC
Fungi
Many species of fungus produce the familiar mushroom (a) which is a reproductive structure. This (b) coral fungus displays brightly colored fruiting bodies. This electron micrograph shows (c) the spore-bearing structures of Aspergillus, a type of toxic fungi found mostly in soil and plants. (credit “mushroom”: modification of work by Chris Wee; credit “coral fungus”: modification of work by Cory Zanker; credit “Aspergillus”: modification of work by Janice Haney Carr, Robert Simmons, CDC; scale-bar data from Matt Russell)
Image by CNX Openstax
3:09
Aspergillus and Aspergillosis
Paul Cochrane/YouTube
1:59
Computer graphic Aspergillus
Aspergillus & Aspergillosis/YouTube
Aspergillus fumigatus
CDC/ Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit; Photo credit: Medical Illustrator: Stephanie Rossow
Yellowfever mosquito infected with an experimental biocontrol strain of Aspergillus
USDA Agricultural Research Service/Photo by Jose Luis Ramirez.
Fungal organism, Aspergillus fumigatus
CDC
Fungi
CNX Openstax
Types
Aspergillosis
Image by CDC/ Dr. William Kaplan
Aspergillosis
This was a photomicrograph of a lung tissue specimen, harvested from a caged, sulfur-crested cockatoo, that depicted some of the histopathologic changes that had been caused by the fungal organism, Aspergillus fumigatus, in a case of avian pulmonary aspergillosis. Here, you are able see how the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, revealed A. fumigatus ultrastructural morphology including conidial heads and mycelium.
Image by CDC/ Dr. William Kaplan
Types of Aspergillosis
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA): Occurs when Aspergillus causes inflammation in the lungs and allergy symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, but doesn’t cause an infection.
Allergic Aspergillus sinusitis: Occurs when Aspergillus causes inflammation in the sinuses and symptoms of a sinus infection (drainage, stuffiness, headache) but doesn’t cause an infection.
Azole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus: Occurs when one species of Aspergillus, A. fumigatus, becomes resistant to certain medicines used to treat it. Patients with resistant infections might not get better with treatment.
Aspergilloma: Occurs when a ball of Aspergillus grows in the lungs or sinuses, but usually does not spread to other parts of the body. Aspergilloma is also called a “fungus ball.”
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: Occurs when Aspergillus infection causes cavities in the lungs, and can be a long-term (3 months or more) condition. One or more fungal balls (aspergillomas) may also be present in the lungs.
Invasive aspergillosis: Occurs when Aspergillus causes a serious infection, and usually affects people who have weakened immune systems, such as people who have had an organ transplant or a stem cell transplant. Invasive aspergillosis most commonly affects the lungs, but it can also spread to other parts of the body.
Cutaneous (skin) aspergillosis: Occurs when Aspergillus enters the body through a break in the skin (for example, after surgery or a burn wound) and causes infection, usually in people who have weakened immune systems. Cutaneous aspergillosis can also occur if invasive aspergillosis spreads to the skin from somewhere else in the body, such as the lungs.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (3)
Extrapulmonary Aspergillosis
Video by Mechanisms in Medicine/YouTube
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis ABPA – Online Video
Video by dr kaplan/YouTube
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA)
Video by Medicosis Perfectionalis/YouTube
2:25
Extrapulmonary Aspergillosis
Mechanisms in Medicine/YouTube
2:52
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis ABPA – Online Video
dr kaplan/YouTube
19:16
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA)
Medicosis Perfectionalis/YouTube
Sources
Mold
Image by BruceBlaus
Mold
Image by BruceBlaus
Sources of Aspergillosis
Aspergillus lives in the environment
Aspergillus, the mold (a type of fungus) that causes aspergillosis, is very common both indoors and outdoors, so most people breathe in fungal spores every day. It’s probably impossible to completely avoid breathing in some Aspergillus spores. For people with healthy immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus isn’t harmful. However, for people who have weakened immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus spores can cause an infection in the lungs or sinuses which can spread to other parts of the body.
I’m worried that the mold in my home is Aspergillus. Should someone test the mold to find out what it is?
No. Generally, it’s not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in a home, and CDC doesn’t recommend routine sampling for molds.
Types of Aspergillus
There are approximately 180 species of Aspergillus, but fewer than 40 of them are known to cause infections in humans. Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common cause of human Aspergillus infections. Other common species include A. flavus, A. terreus, and A. niger.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (2)
Aspergillosis & Moldy Indoor Environments
Video by Paul Cochrane/YouTube
What is Aspergillus mold?
Video by KING 5/YouTube
3:33
Aspergillosis & Moldy Indoor Environments
Paul Cochrane/YouTube
0:49
What is Aspergillus mold?
KING 5/YouTube
Risk & Prevention
Depiction of a tuberculosis patient
Image by https://www.myupchar.com
Depiction of a tuberculosis patient
This is a depiction of a man suffering from tuberculosis. A few of the typical symptoms have been mentioned, as well as the causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Image by https://www.myupchar.com
Aspergillosis Risk & Prevention
Who gets aspergillosis?
The different types of aspergillosis affect different groups of people.
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) most often occurs in people who have cystic fibrosis or asthma.
Aspergillomas usually affect people who have other lung diseases like tuberculosis. Also called a “fungus ball.”
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis typically occurs in people who have other lung diseases, including tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or sarcoidosis.
Invasive aspergillosis affects people who have weakened immune systems, such as people who have had a stem cell transplant or organ transplant, are getting chemotherapy for cancer, or are taking high doses of corticosteroids. Invasive aspergillosis has been described among hospitalized patients with severe influenza.
How does someone get aspergillosis?
People can get aspergillosis by breathing in microscopic Aspergillus spores from the environment. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick. However, people with weakened immune systems or lung diseases are at a higher risk of developing health problems due to Aspergillus.
How can I prevent aspergillosis?
It’s difficult to avoid breathing in Aspergillus spores because the fungus is common in the environment. For people who have weakened immune systems, there may be some ways to lower the chances of developing a severe Aspergillus infection.
Protect yourself from the environment. It’s important to note that although these actions are recommended, they haven’t been proven to prevent aspergillosis.
Try to avoid areas with a lot of dust like construction or excavation sites. If you can’t avoid these areas, wear an N95 respirator (a type of face mask) while you’re there.
Avoid activities that involve close contact to soil or dust, such as yard work or gardening. If this isn’t possible,
Wear shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when doing outdoor activities such as gardening, yard work, or visiting wooded areas.
Wear gloves when handling materials such as soil, moss, or manure.
To reduce the chances of developing a skin infection, clean skin injuries well with soap and water, especially if they have been exposed to soil or dust.
Antifungal medication. If you are at high risk for developing invasive aspergillosis (for example, if you’ve had an organ transplant or a stem cell transplant), your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to prevent aspergillosis. Scientists are still learning about which transplant patients are at highest risk and how to best prevent fungal infections.
Testing for early infection. Some high-risk patients may benefit from blood tests to detect invasive aspergillosis. Talk to your doctor to determine if this type of test is right for you.
If you are a healthcare provider or healthcare infection control practitioner, click here for aspergillosis prevention guidelines and other resources.
Is aspergillosis contagious?
No. Aspergillosis can’t spread between people or between people and animals from the lungs.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (5)
Preventing Aspergillus Niger in Healthcare Environments
Video by BioClad Ltd/YouTube
Fungal Infections - 10 Questions to Protect Your Health
Video by Paul Cochrane/YouTube
BBC Nearly half of adults with cystic fibrosis are infected by Aspergillus
Video by Aspergillus & Aspergillosis/YouTube
ASPerCF - Aspergillus (fungus) infections in Cystic Fibrosis
Video by School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition/YouTube
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis after pulmonary tuberculosis
Video by Canadian Medical Association Journal — CMAJ/YouTube
1:55
Preventing Aspergillus Niger in Healthcare Environments
BioClad Ltd/YouTube
3:47
Fungal Infections - 10 Questions to Protect Your Health
Paul Cochrane/YouTube
5:37
BBC Nearly half of adults with cystic fibrosis are infected by Aspergillus
Aspergillus & Aspergillosis/YouTube
2:19
ASPerCF - Aspergillus (fungus) infections in Cystic Fibrosis
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition/YouTube
0:52
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis after pulmonary tuberculosis
Canadian Medical Association Journal — CMAJ/YouTube
Symptoms
Coughing, Wheezing, and Shortness of Breath
Image by TheVisualMD
Coughing, Wheezing, and Shortness of Breath
Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath
Image by TheVisualMD
Symptoms of Aspergillosis
The different types of aspergillosis can cause different symptoms.
The symptoms of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) are similar to asthma symptoms, including:
Wheezing
Shortness of breath
Cough
Fever (in rare cases)
Symptoms of allergic Aspergillus sinusitis include:
Stuffiness
Runny nose
Headache
Reduced ability to smell
Symptoms of an aspergilloma (“fungus ball”) include:
Cough
Coughing up blood
Shortness of breath
Symptoms of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis include:
Weight loss
Cough
Coughing up blood
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Invasive aspergillosis usually occurs in people who are already sick from other medical conditions, so it can be difficult to know which symptoms are related to an Aspergillus infection. However, the symptoms of invasive aspergillosis in the lungs include:
Fever
Chest pain
Cough
Coughing up blood
Shortness of breath
Other symptoms can develop if the infection spreads from the lungs to other parts of the body.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have symptoms that you think are related to any form of aspergillosis.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Who is at risk of aspergillosis and what are the symptoms?
National Aspergillosis Centre/YouTube
Diagnosis
Chest radiograph of an allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patient
Image by Avani R. Patel, Amar R. Patel, Shivank Singh, Shantanu Singh, Imran Khawaja/Wikimedia
Chest radiograph of an allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patient
The chest radiograph of an allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patient shown with left-sided perihilar opacity (blue arrow) along with non-homogeneous infiltrates (transient pulmonary infiltrates indicated by red arrows) in all zones of both lung fields, seen in acute and remission stage of ABPA
Image by Avani R. Patel, Amar R. Patel, Shivank Singh, Shantanu Singh, Imran Khawaja/Wikimedia
Diagnosis and Testing for Aspergillosis
How is aspergillosis diagnosed?
Healthcare providers consider your medical history, risk factors, symptoms, physical examinations, and lab tests when diagnosing aspergillosis. You may need imaging tests such as a chest x-ray or a CT scan of your lungs or other parts of your body depending on the location of the suspected infection. If your healthcare provider suspects that you have an Aspergillus infection in your lungs, he or she might collect a sample of fluid from your respiratory system to send to a laboratory. Healthcare providers may also perform a tissue biopsy, in which a small sample of affected tissue is analyzed in a laboratory for evidence of Aspergillus under a microscope or in a fungal culture. A blood test can help diagnose invasive aspergillosis early in people who have severely weakened immune systems.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Also called: CXR, Chest X Ray, Chest Radiograph, Chest Radiography, Chest Film
A chest X-ray is an imaging test that uses electromagnetic waves to create pictures of the structures in and around the chest. The test can help diagnose and monitor conditions of the heart, lungs, bones, and chest cavity.
Chest X-Ray Test
Also called: CXR, Chest X Ray, Chest Radiograph, Chest Radiography, Chest Film
A chest X-ray is an imaging test that uses electromagnetic waves to create pictures of the structures in and around the chest. The test can help diagnose and monitor conditions of the heart, lungs, bones, and chest cavity.
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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your
health.
Your result is Normal.
X rays are electromagnetic waves. They use ionizing radiation to create pictures of the inside of your body. A chest x ray takes pictures of the inside of your chest. The different tissues in your chest absorb different amounts of radiation. Your ribs and spine are bony and absorb radiation well. They normally appear light on a chest x ray. Your lungs, which are filled with air, normally appear dark.
Related conditions
A chest x ray is a painless, noninvasive test that creates pictures of the structures inside your chest, such as your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. "Noninvasive" means that no surgery is done and no instruments are inserted into your body. This test is done to find the cause of symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, chronic cough (a cough that lasts a long time), and fever.
Chest x rays help doctors diagnose conditions such as pneumonia (nu-MO-ne-ah), heart failure, lung cancer, lung tissue scarring, and sarcoidosis (sar-koy-DO-sis). Doctors also may use chest x rays to see how well treatments for certain conditions are working. Also, doctors often use chest x rays before surgery to look at the structures in the chest.
Chest x rays are the most common x-ray test used to diagnose health problems.
Doctors may recommend chest x rays for people who have symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, chronic cough (a cough that lasts a long time), or fever. The test can help find the cause of these symptoms.
Chest x rays look for conditions such as pneumonia, heart failure, lung cancer, lung tissue scarring, or sarcoidosis. The test also is used to check how well treatments for certain conditions are working.
Chest x rays also are used to evaluate people who test positive for tuberculosis (tu-ber-kyu-LO-sis) exposure on skin tests.
Sometimes, doctors recommend more chest x rays within hours, days, or months of an earlier chest x ray. This allows them to follow up on a condition.
People who are having certain types of surgery also may need chest x rays. Doctors often use the test before surgery to look at the structures inside the chest.
Depending on your doctor's request, you'll stand, sit, or lie for the chest x ray. The technician will help position you correctly. He or she may cover you with a heavy lead apron to protect certain parts of your body from the radiation.
The x-ray equipment usually consists of two parts. One part, a box-like machine, holds the x-ray film or a special plate that records the picture digitally. You'll sit or stand next to this machine. The second part is the x-ray tube, which is located about 6 feet away.
Before the pictures are taken, the technician will walk behind a wall or into the next room to turn on the x-ray machine. This helps reduce his or her exposure to the radiation.
Usually, two views of the chest are taken. The first is a view from the back. The second is a view from the side.
For a view from the back, you'll sit or stand so that your chest rests against the image plate. The x-ray tube will be behind you. For the side view, you'll turn to your side and raise your arms above your head.
If you need to lie down for the test, you'll lie on a table that contains the x-ray film or plate. The x-ray tube will be over the table.
You'll need to hold very still while the pictures are taken. The technician may ask you to hold your breath for a few seconds. These steps help prevent a blurry picture.
Although the test is painless, you may feel some discomfort from the coolness of the exam room and the x-ray plate. If you have arthritis or injuries to the chest wall, shoulders, or arms, you may feel discomfort holding a position during the test. The technician may be able to help you find a more comfortable position.
When the test is done, you'll need to wait while the technician checks the quality of the x-ray pictures. He or she needs to make sure that the pictures are good enough for the doctor to use.
You don't have to do anything special to prepare for a chest x ray. However, you may want to wear a shirt that's easy to take off. Before the test, you'll be asked to undress from the waist up and wear a gown.
You also may want to avoid wearing jewelry and other metal objects. You'll be asked to take off any jewelry, eyeglasses, and metal objects that might interfere with the x-ray picture. Let the x-ray technician (a person specially trained to do x-ray tests) know if you have any body piercings on your chest.
Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or may be pregnant. In general, women should avoid all x-ray tests during pregnancy. Sometimes, though, having an x ray is important to the health of the mother and fetus. If an x ray is needed, the technician will take extra steps to protect the fetus from radiation.
Chest x rays have few risks. The amount of radiation used in a chest x ray is very small. A lead apron may be used to protect certain parts of your body from the radiation.
The test gives out a radiation dose similar to the amount of radiation you're naturally exposed to over 10 days.
Chest x rays show the structures in and around the chest. The test is used to look for and track conditions of the heart, lungs, bones, and chest cavity. For example, chest x-ray pictures may show signs of pneumonia, heart failure, lung cancer, lung tissue scarring, or sarcoidosis.
Chest x rays do have limits. They only show conditions that change the size of tissues in the chest or how the tissues absorb radiation. Also, chest x rays create two-dimensional pictures. This means that denser structures, like bone or the heart, may hide some signs of disease. Very small areas of cancer and blood clots in the lungs usually don't show up on chest x rays.
For these reasons, your doctor may recommend other tests to confirm a diagnosis.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/chest-x-ray [accessed on Aug 25, 2021]
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003804.htm [accessed on Aug 25, 2021]
https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/chestrad [accessed on Aug 25, 2021]
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/chest_x-ray/article_em.htm [accessed on Aug 25, 2021]
Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."
Additional Materials (50)
Chest X-Ray Basics in 5 min
Video by Nick Smith/YouTube
How X-rays see through your skin - Ge Wang
Video by TED-Ed/YouTube
What causes Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and who is at Risk?
Chest X-ray of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI syndrome) compared to chest X-ray of the same subject afterwards.
Image by Altaf Gauhar Haji, Shekhar Sharma, DK Vijaykumar and Jerry Paul
Tuberculosis X-ray
An anteroposterior X-ray of a patient diagnosed with advanced bilateral pulmonary tuberculosis. This AP X-ray of the chest reveals the presence of bilateral pulmonary infiltrate (white triangles), and caving forma.
Image by CDC / Der Lange
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
This highly-magnified, 1981 transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image, reveals some of the morphologic traits exhibited by a human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The virion is variable in shape, and size, with an average diameter between 120-300nm. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants and children, under 1-year of age.
Image by CDC/ E. L. Palmer
Q Fever Pneumonia X-ray
Combination of two x-rays (A) normal chest x-ray (B) x-ray documenting Q fever pneumonia.
Image by US Gov
Chest X Ray
A Lateral Chest X-Ray with the heart shadow outlined.
Image by US Army
Projectional radiography
Image relating focal spot size to geometric unsharpness in projectional radiography.
Image by Source images by Blausen Medical and LadyofHats (Mariana Ruiz Villarreal) Derivative by Mikael Haggstrom
Chest Radiograph
Chest X-Ray : Specialized test, like a computerized tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, may be needed to confirm the presence of an aneurysm.
Image by TheVisualMD
X-ray of Healthy Lung
This image shows an x-ray of healthy lungs.
Image by TheVisualMD
Cancer screening
Cancer Imaging: X-Rays : Chest X-rays can be used to show the presence of tumors, as for lung cancer, but they may also indicate problems associated with cancer. An X-ray may produce images suggestive of fluid accumulation, masses, or enlarged lymph nodes.
Image by TheVisualMD
Lung Cancer
Chest X-ray (Cancer): This is an x-ray image of a chest. Both sides of the lungs are visible with a growth on the left side of the lung, which could possibly be lung cancer.
Image by National Cancer Institute
Chest X Ray
Mediastinal structures on a chest radiograph.
Image by Mikael Haggstrom, from source images by ZooFari, Stillwaterising and Gray's Anatomy creators
CT Chest Scan of Pleura effusion
CT scan of chest showing loculated pleural effusion in left side. Some thickening of pleura is also noted. From my personal collection. Permission obtained from patient.
Image by Drriad
Chest X-ray (Cancer)
This is an x-ray image of a chest. Both sides of the lungs are visible with a growth on the left side of the lung, which could possibly be lung cancer.
Image by National Cancer Institute / Unknown Photographer
This browser does not support the video element.
CT Scans (VIDEO)
This video shows how modern science of scanning can expose the health condition of the patient. The video starts with a patient undergoing CT scanning, an x-ray procedure that combines many x-ray images with the aid of a computer to generate cross-sectional views and, if needed, three-dimensional images of the internal organs and structures of the body. Visible are the heart, lungs, and arteries of a patient.
Video by TheVisualMD
Chest X-Ray
Air-filled trachea and lungs Diaphragmatic domes Mediastinal structures Vascular markings
Arrows indicate costophrenic angles
Image by US Army
Gallstones
Gallstones as seen on plain x-ray.
Image by James Heilman, MD
Hemoptysis x-ray
Hemoptysis can be discovered with the help of radiology.
Image by Aidan Jones from Oxford, U.K.
X-ray of Lung with Pulmonary Edema
Within the lungs, the main airways (bronchi) branch off into smaller passageways, the smallest of which are called bronchioles. At the end of the bronchioles are tiny air sacs (alveoli). Pulmonary edema is a condition caused when excess fluid collects in these air sacs, making it difficult to breathe. Fluid in the lungs can be caused by pneumonia, acute respiratory distress and other conditions, but in most cases, the cause of pulmonary edema is heart problems (when a damaged heart can't pump enough blood and fluid leaks into the lungs).
Image by TheVisualMD
What To Expect During and After Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Surgery
A normal chest X-ray after placement of an ICD, showing the ICD generator in the upper left chest and the ICD lead in the right ventricle of the heart. Note the 2 opaque coils along the ICD lead.
Image by Gregory Marcus, MD, MAS, FACC
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Chest X-ray: NCI B-roll [video]
NCI B-roll of a patient receiving a Chest X-ray. This video is silent.
Video by National Cancer Institute (NCI)
X-Ray of Aneurysm within Chest frontal view
Most aneurysms are detected in the course of an exam, such as a physical exam or a chest X-ray, being performed for a different reason.
Image by TheVisualMD
Pleural Effusion: Tests
Pleural effusion Chest x-ray of a pleural effusion. The arrow A shows fluid layering in the right pleural cavity. The B arrow shows the normal width of the lung in the cavity. A pleural effusion: as seen on chest X-ray. The A arrow indicates fluid layering in the right chest. The B arrow indicates the width of the right lung. The volume of the lung is reduced because of the collection of fluid around the lung.Pleural effusion Chest x-ray of a pleural effusion. The arrow A shows fluid layering in the right pleural cavity. The B arrow shows the normal width of the lung in the cavity. A pleural effusion: as seen on chest X-ray. The A arrow indicates fluid layering in the right chest. The B arrow indicates the width of the right lung. The volume of the lung is reduced because of the collection of fluid around the lung.
Image by CDC InvictaHOG
Coccidioidomycosis
This anteroposterior (AP) chest x-ray revealed pulmonary changes indicative of pulmonary fibrosis in a case of coccidioidomycosis, caused by fungal organisms of the genus, Coccidioides. Because these changes also resemble those seen in other lung infections including tuberculosis, the findings uncovered with a chest x-ray needs to be coupled with serologic testing, as well as possible tissue biopsy. The degree of fibrotic changes, indicative of scarring found on x-ray, can be directly correlated to the severity of the fungal infection.
Image by CDC/ Dr. Lucille K. Georg
How Is Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) Diagnosed?
Chest X-Ray: Acute respiratory distress syndrome on plain Xray
Image by James Heilman, MD
How Are Asbestos-Related Lung Diseases Diagnosed?
Early Asbestosis in a Retired Pipe Fitter : Chest X-ray in asbestosis shows plaques above diaphragm
Image by Clinical Cases
Aspergillosis
This was a photomicrograph of a lung tissue specimen, harvested from a caged, sulfur-crested cockatoo, that depicted some of the histopathologic changes that had been caused by the fungal organism, Aspergillus fumigatus, in a case of avian pulmonary aspergillosis. Here, you are able see how the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, revealed A. fumigatus ultrastructural morphology including conidial heads and mycelium.
Image by CDC/ Dr. William Kaplan
Pleural Effusion - Defined
A large left sided pleural effusion as seen on an upright chest X-ray
Image by Drriad
Pleural Effusion: Tests
A large left sided pleural effusion as seen on an upright chest X-ray
Image by James Heilman MD
Breast implants
Chest X-ray showing breast implants
Image by James Heilman
Living With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
No cure is available for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) yet. Your symptoms may get worse over time. As your symptoms worsen, you may not be able to do many of the things that you did before you had IPF.
However, lifestyle changes and ongoing care can help you manage the disease.
If you're still smoking, the most important thing you can do is quit. Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke. Ask family members and friends not to smoke in front of you or in your home, car, or workplace.
Image by Drriad
Symptoms and Spread of SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome)
A chest x-ray showing increased opacity in both lungs, indicative of pneumonia, in a patient with SARS.
Image by CDC
Chilaiditi syndrome
Chest X-ray showing obvious Chilaiditi's sign, or presence of gas in the right colic angle between the liver and right hemidiaphragm (left side of the image).
Piper's Sign: In days gone by the lateral chest x-ray (demonstrating greater opacity in the aortic arch and descending aorta than the thoracic spine) gave an indication to the degree of calcified plaque burden a patient had. This has been known as Piper's sign and can often be seen in elderly persons particularly those with concomitant osteoporosis.
Image by U4077905
Aspect of a bulky thymoma (red circle) on the chest x-ray.
Aspect of a bulky thymoma (red circle) on the chest x-ray.
Image by Stockholm
Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome-Chest X-ray showing a tumor in the left lung (right side of the image)
Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome-Chest X-ray showing a tumor in the left lung (right side of the image)
Image by Lange123 at German Wikipedia
Chest X-ray in influenza and Haemophilus influenza
Chest X-ray of a 76 year old woman, who developed cough and labored breathing. First testing showed influenza B virus, and later a nasopharyngeal swab detected Haemophilus influenzae. The H influenzae presumably developed as an opportunistic infection secondary to the flu. This X-ray was taken 2 weeks after cultures and start of antibiotics, showing delayed pneumonic infiltrates that were only vaguely visible on initial (not shown) X-rays.
Image by Mikael Häggström
Chest X-ray in influenza and Haemophilus influenzae, lateral
Chest X-ray of a 76 year old woman, who developed cough and labored breathing. First testing showed influenza B virus, and later a nasopharyngeal swab detected Haemophilus influenzae. The H influenzae presumably developed as an opportunistic infection secondary to the flu. This X-ray was taken 2 weeks after cultures and start of antibiotics, showing delayed pneumonic infiltrates that were only vaguely visible on initial (not shown) X-rays.
Image by Mikael Häggström
Fungal Parasites and Pathogens
(a) Ringworm presents as a red ring on skin; (b) Trichophyton violaceum, shown in this bright field light micrograph, causes superficial mycoses on the scalp; (c) Histoplasma capsulatum is an ascomycete that infects airways and causes symptoms similar to influenza. (credit a: modification of work by Dr. Lucille K. Georg, CDC; credit b: modification of work by Dr. Lucille K. Georg, CDC; credit c: modification of work by M. Renz, CDC; scale-bar data from Matt Russell)
Image by CNX Openstax
This anteroposterior (AP) chest x-ray revealed radiologic evidence of pulmonary pneumocystosis in the form of bilateral pulmonary interstitial infiltrates. This infection was due to the presence of an opportunistic fungal infection by the fungal organism Pneumocystis jirovecii, formerly known as Pneumocystis carinii. (This image was provided by Jonathan W.M. Gold. M.D., Assoc. Dir. Special Microbiology Lab, Assist. Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Assist. Prof. of Medicine, Cornell Univ. Med. College, New York.)
Pneumocystis jirovecii is the causative agent of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), one of the most frequent and severe opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Pneumocystis organisms represent a large group of species of atypical fungi with universal distribution and pulmonary tropism, and each species has a strong specificity for a given mammalian host species.
Image by CDC/ Jonathan W.M. Gold, MD
Chest X-ray PA inverted and enhanced
Chest X-ray PA inverted and enhanced
Image by Stillwaterising
Chest X-Ray of Canadian dollar coin in esophagus of child
PA view Chest X-Ray of Canadian dollar coin in esophagus of child. Released per permission of mother.
Image by Samir (talk)
Chest X Ray
Structures shown: Air-filled trachea and lungs Diaphragmatic domes Mediastinal structures Vascular markings. Arrows indicate costophrenic angles
Image by US Army
Thoracic diaphragm
X-ray of chest, showing top of diaphragm.
Image by OpenStax College
Chest X Ray
Roentgenogram or Medical X-ray image. May not be to scale.
Aspect of a bulky thymoma (red circle) on the chest x-ray.
Stockholm
Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome-Chest X-ray showing a tumor in the left lung (right side of the image)
Lange123 at German Wikipedia
Chest X-ray in influenza and Haemophilus influenza
Mikael Häggström
Chest X-ray in influenza and Haemophilus influenzae, lateral
Mikael Häggström
Fungal Parasites and Pathogens
CNX Openstax
This anteroposterior (AP) chest x-ray revealed radiologic evidence of pulmonary pneumocystosis in the form of bilateral pulmonary interstitial infiltrates. This infection was due to the presence of an opportunistic fungal infection by the fungal organism Pneumocystis jirovecii, formerly known as Pneumocystis carinii. (This image was provided by Jonathan W.M. Gold. M.D., Assoc. Dir. Special Microbiology Lab, Assist. Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Assist. Prof. of Medicine, Cornell Univ. Med. College, New York.)
CDC/ Jonathan W.M. Gold, MD
Chest X-ray PA inverted and enhanced
Stillwaterising
Chest X-Ray of Canadian dollar coin in esophagus of child
A chest computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging test that takes detailed pictures of the lungs and the inside of the chest. Computers combine the pictures to create a 3-D model showing the size, shape, and position of the lungs and structures in the chest.
A chest computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging test that takes detailed pictures of the lungs and the inside of the chest. Computers combine the pictures to create a 3-D model showing the size, shape, and position of the lungs and structures in the chest.
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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your
health.
Your result is Normal.
A chest CT scan provides detailed pictures of the size, shape, and position of your lungs and other structures in your chest. A normal chest CT means your chest appears normal.
Related conditions
A chest CT scan is a more detailed type of chest X-ray. This painless imaging test takes many detailed pictures, called slices, of your lungs and the inside of your chest. Computers can combine these pictures to create three-dimensional (3D) models to help show the size, shape, and position of your lungs and structures in your chest.
This imaging test is often done to follow up on abnormal findings from earlier chest x rays. A chest CT scan also can help determine the cause of lung symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain, or check to see if you have certain lung problems such as a tumor, excess fluid around the lungs that is known as pleural effusion, pulmonary embolism, emphysema, tuberculosis, and pneumonia.
A chest CT scan provides detailed pictures of the size, shape, and position of your lungs and other structures in your chest. Doctors use this test to:
Follow up on abnormal results from standard chest x rays.
Find the cause of lung symptoms, such as shortness of breath or chest pain.
Find out whether you have a lung problem, such as a tumor, excess fluid around the lungs, or a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs). The test also is used to check for other conditions, such as tuberculosis, emphysema, and pneumonia.
Your doctor may recommend a chest CT scan if you have symptoms of lung problems, such as chest pain or trouble breathing. The scan can help find the cause of the symptoms.
A chest CT scan looks for problems such as tumors, excess fluid around the lungs, and pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs). The scan also checks for other conditions, such as tuberculosis, emphysema, and pneumonia.
Your doctor may recommend a chest CT scan if a standard chest x ray doesn't help diagnose the problem. The chest CT scan can:
Provide more detailed pictures of your lungs and other chest structures than a standard chest x ray
Find the exact location of a tumor or other problem
Show something that isn't visible on a chest x ray
Your chest CT scan may be done in a medical imaging facility or hospital. The CT scanner is a large, tunnel-like machine that has a table. You will lie still on the table and the table will slide into the scanner. Talk to your doctor if you are uncomfortable in tight or closed spaces to see if you need medicine to relax you during the test. You will hear soft buzzing or clicking sounds when you are inside the scanner and the scanner is taking pictures. You will be able to hear from and talk to the technician performing the test while you are inside the scanner. For some diagnoses, a contrast dye, often iodine-based, may be injected into a vein in your arm before the imaging test. This contrast dye highlights areas inside your chest and creates clearer pictures. You may feel some discomfort from the needle or, after the contrast dye is injected, you may feel warm briefly or have a temporary metallic taste in your mouth.
Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing for the test. Sometimes the CT scan technician (a person specially trained to do CT scans) may ask you to wear a hospital gown. You also may want to avoid wearing jewelry and other metal objects. You'll be asked to take off any jewelry, eyeglasses, and metal objects that might interfere with the test. You may be asked to remove hearing aids and dentures as well. Let the technician know if you have any body piercing on your chest.
Tell your doctor whether you're pregnant or may be pregnant. If possible, you should avoid unnecessary radiation exposure during pregnancy. This is because of the concern that radiation may harm the fetus.
Chest CT scans have some risks. In rare instances, some people have an allergic reaction to the contrast dye. There is a slight risk of cancer, particularly in growing children, because the test uses radiation. Although the amount of radiation from one test is usually less than the amount of radiation you are naturally exposed to over three years, patients should not receive more CT scans than the number that clinical guidelines recommend. Another risk is that chest CT scans may detect an incidental finding, which is something that doesn’t cause symptoms but now may require more tests after being found.
Talk to your doctor and the technicians performing the test about whether you are or could be pregnant. If the test is not urgent, they may have you wait to do the test until after your pregnancy. If it is urgent, the technicians will take extra steps to protect your baby during this test. Let your doctor know if you are breastfeeding because contrast dye can pass into your breast milk. If you must have contrast dye injected, you may want to pump and save enough breast milk for one to two days after your test or you may bottle-feed your baby for that time.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/chest-ct-scan [accessed on Aug 25, 2021]
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003788.htm [accessed on Aug 25, 2021]
Additional Materials (50)
Pleural empyema
CT chest showing large right sided hydro-pneumothorax from pleural empyema. Arrows A: air, B: fluid
Image by Amit Banga, GC Khilnani, SK Sharma1, AB Dey, Naveet Wig and Namrata Banga
How Are Pleurisy and Other Pleural Disorders Diagnosed?
CT with the identification of underlying lung lesion: an apical bulla.
Image by Robertolyra
How Are Pleurisy and Other Pleural Disorders Treated?
Right-sided pneumothorax (right side of image) on CT scan of the chest with chest tube in place.
Image by en:User:Clinical Cases
Chest Radiograph
Chest X-Ray : Specialized test, like a computerized tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, may be needed to confirm the presence of an aneurysm.
Image by TheVisualMD
What To Expect During a Coronary Calcium Scan
3D reconstruction of the thin multislice CT, covering human heart and lungs
Image by Semnic
Incision for Open-Chest Bypass Surgery
Open-chest bypass surgery requires the surgeon to make an incision down the center of the chest, along the breastbone. The rib cage is spread open to expose the heart.
Image by TheVisualMD
A child's guide to hospital: CT Chest
Video by The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne/YouTube
What is it like to have a CT scan? | Cancer Research UK
Video by Cancer Research UK/YouTube
Coronary CT angiography of coronary arteries
Researchers have found that anti-inflammatory biologic therapies used to treat moderate to severe psoriasis can significantly reduce coronary inflammation in patients with the chronic skin condition. Scientists said the findings are particularly notable because of the use of a novel imaging biomarker, the perivascular fat attenuation index (FAI), that was able to measure the effect of the therapy in reducing the inflammation.
The study published online in JAMA Cardiology, has implications not just for people with psoriasis, but for those with other chronic inflammatory diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. These conditions are known to increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes. The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
In this image: Coronary CT angiography image of the coronary arteries depicting the perivascular fat attenuation index before and after biologic therapy at one-year follow-up for patients with excellent response to biologic therapy.
Image by Oxford Academic Cardiovascular CT Core Lab and Lab of Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases at NHLBI
Coronary CT
Coronary CT
Image by Bác sĩ Nguyễn Minh Đức
CT of the blood vessels and heart
CT of the blood vessels and heart
Image by Bác sĩ Nguyễn Minh Đức
Chest CT showing pulmonary sequestration
chest CT: diagnosis is pulmonary sequestration
Image by RadsWiki
Scimitar syndrome chest CT
Scimitar syndrome chest CT
Image by Matthew Cham, MD
/Wikimedia
Having a Cardiac CT Scan in Hospital
Video by Oxford AHSN/YouTube
What to Expect from a CT Exam with Contrast
Video by RAYUS Radiology™/YouTube
Protocoling chest CTs
Video by Thoracic Radiology/YouTube
Low Dose CT Scans to Look for Lung Cancer
Video by Lee Health/YouTube
Lung Cancer Screening (LCS)
Video by Cleveland Clinic/YouTube
CT Scan of the Chest Explained Clearly - High Resolution CT Scan (HRCT)
Video by MedCram - Medical Lectures Explained CLEARLY/YouTube
What to Expect: CT Scan | Cedars-Sinai
Video by Cedars-Sinai/YouTube
How I Read a Chest CT
Video by Thoracic Radiology/YouTube
Introduction to Computed Tomographic imaging of the Chest
Video by Yale Radiology and Biomedical Imaging/YouTube
Lung Cancer Screening: The Life-saving CT Scan
Video by RAYUS Radiology™/YouTube
How to prepare for a CT scan
Video by Sunnybrook Hospital/YouTube
Using CT Scans to Screen for Lung Cancer
Video by UConn Health/YouTube
Cardiac CT scan
Video by UHP_NHS/YouTube
Real look at Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis CT Scan from Start to Finish.
Video by Dumb Old Dad/YouTube
What is it like to get a CT Scan with Contrast?
Video by STRIDE Project/YouTube
Thorax with Healthy Heart
3D visualization based on scanned human data of a healthy heart in the thorax.
Image by TheVisualMD
Heart and Lungs
The heart and lungs are the primary contents of the thorax. They are interconnected with very large blood vessels. The heart sends oxygen-poor blood through the pulmonary arteries to the lungs, which oxygenate it and return it to the heart through the pulmonary veins. The pulmonary arteries arise from one large pulmonary trunk, and then begin branching exponentially once they enter the lungs in order to reach the functional respiratory units and pick up oxygen. The smallest pulmonary veins then take the oxygenated blood backwards through the lungs and empty into the back of the heart through four larger pulmonary veins. The oxygen-rich blood is then pumped by the heart out into the body through the aorta. Deoxygenated blood from body tissues returns to the heart through the superior and inferior vena cava and the cardiac cycle repeats continuously. The pulmonary veins and arteries are the only case where arteries carry deoxygenated blood and veins carry blood that has been oxygenated.
Image by TheVisualMD
Thorax with Muscle Involved in Respiration
3D visualization of an anterior view of the muscles involved in respiration. The primary job of the thorax is to promote movements necessary for breathing. Three muscles of the thorax assist in this function; the external intercostals, internal intercostals and diaphragm. The intercostals do the job of lifting the ribs up and pulling them outward, which in turn enlarges the lungs. As the lungs expand, the pressure inside them is reduced, and they suck in air. During extreme inhalation, the neck muscles also contract. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and pushes downward; during exhalation, it relaxes and is pushed up into a dome shape by the lower digestive organs, compressing the lungs. As pressure rises in the chest cavity, exhale occurs, pressure is equalized and the cycle restarts.
Image by TheVisualMD
Thorax with Muscle Involved in Respiration
3D visualization of an inferior view of the muscles involved in respiration. The primary job of the thorax is to promote movements necessary for breathing. Three muscles of the thorax assist in this function; the external intercostals, internal intercostals and diaphragm. The intercostals do the job of lifting the ribs up and pulling them outward, which in turn enlarges the lungs. As the lungs expand, the pressure inside them is reduced, and they suck in air. During extreme inhalation, the neck muscles also contract. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and pushes downward; during exhalation, it relaxes and is pushed up into a dome shape by the lower digestive organs, compressing the lungs. As pressure rises in the chest cavity, exhalation occurs, pressure is equalized and the cycle restarts.
Image by TheVisualMD
Thorax with visible Lung and Heart
3D visualization of a posterior view of the lungs and heart reconstructed from scanned human data. De-oxygenated red blood cells are sent by the right side of the heart through the pulmonary artery into the vessels of the lungs to be refilled with oxygen for their next circuit through the body. The blood is carried through the lung tissues, where it exchanges its carbon dioxide for oxygen in the alveoli. It is then returned through the pulmonary veins to the left side of the heart and sent out to the rest of the body. The pulmonary artery carries away the deoxygenated blood, which returns fully oxygenated through the pulmonary vein.
Image by TheVisualMD
Female Thorax Showing Breast
Visualization based on scanned human data of an anterior view of female breast.
Image by TheVisualMD
Male Thorax with Visible Heart
Visualization of male heart. The nerve supply of the heart is emphasized specifically the cardiac plexus. The plexus which rest around the base of the heart, mainly in the epicardium, is formed by cardiac branches from the vagus nerves and the sympathetic trunks and ganglia.
Image by TheVisualMD
Thorax with Heart and Lung
3D visualization of an anterior view of the lungs and heart reconstructed from scanned human data. The cone-shaped lungs occupy most of the thoracic cavity. Each lung is suspended in its own pleural cavity and connected to the mediastinum (which houses the heart) by its root which is made up of vascular and bronchial attachments. The anterior, lateral and posterior surfaces of the lung are in close contact with the ribs and form a continuously curving surface called the costal surface. De-oxygenated red blood cells are sent by the right side of the heart through the pulmonary artery into the vessels of the lungs to be refilled with oxygen for their next circuit through the body. The blood is carried through the lung tissues, where it exchanges its carbon dioxide for oxygen in the alveoli. It is then returned through the pulmonary veins to the left side of the heart and sent out to the rest of the body. The pulmonary artery carries away the deoxygenated blood, which returns fully oxygenated through the pulmonary vein.
Image by TheVisualMD
Cross Section of Human Thorax. Liver in bottom Left
Cross Section of Human Thorax. Liver in bottom Left
Image by TheVisualMD
Male Thorax Showing Trachea and Lung
3D visualization of an anterior view of the lungs and heart reconstructed from scanned human data. De-oxygenated red blood cells are sent by the right side of the heart through the pulmonary artery into the vessels of the lungs to be refilled with oxygen for their next circuit through the body. The blood is carried through the lung tissues, where it exchanges its carbon dioxide for oxygen in the alveoli. It is then returned through the pulmonary veins to the left side of the heart and sent out to the rest of the body. The pulmonary artery carries away the deoxygenated blood, which returns fully oxygenated through the pulmonary vein.
Image by TheVisualMD
Thoracic Aneurysm in the Aorta
Aneurysms that occur in the part of the aorta that is higher in the chest are called thoracic aortic aneurysms. Aortic aneurysms often grow slowly and usually without any symptoms therefore making them difficult to detect
Image by TheVisualMD
Ventilation/perfusion scan
subFusion processing applied to a SPECT lung ventilation-perfusion scan.
Image by KieranMaher at English Wikibooks
Bronchi and Bronchiole of Lung
3D visualization of an inferior view of a transverse section of the thorax, highlighting the lungs, reconstructed from scanned human data. The trachea, cardiac impression, and transverse sections of the thoracic aorta and esophagus are clearly illustrated. The bronchial tree is also visible. When air is inhaled into the lungs, it flows through large tubes called bronchi, branches into smaller tubes known as bronchioles, and ends up in the thousands of small pouches that are the alveoli. This is where the oxygen is transferred from the air into the bloodstream. Each alveolar sac, or air sac, is surrounded by a bed of capillaries, and the walls between the lung and the capillary are extremely thin. The walls are so delicate, in fact, that the inhaled oxygen can seep from the air sacs to bind to the hemoglobin in the blood, while the carbon dioxide and other waste gasses leave the blood and diffuse into the lungs where they can be exhaled.
Image by TheVisualMD
Chest Pain
Angina
Image by TheVisualMD
Chest Pain
Chest Pain
Image by TheVisualMD
Chest Pain or Tightness
Image by TheVisualMD
CT scanner
A view of the CT scanner in the new Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. The hospital, still under construction, is a 2005 Base Realignment and Closure project, and is scheduled to open later this year.
Image by Official Navy Page from United States of America MC2 Todd Frantom/U.S. Marine Corps
Illustration of 3 X-ray images and a patient entering a CT scanner
Radiation can be dangerous, but it can also save lives. When you’re faced with a medical test that uses radiation, don’t let fear get in your way. Learn about the risks and benefits, and know what questions to ask.
Image by NIH News in Health
Drawing of a computerized tomography scanner with a health care professional looking on a computer screen as a patient lies inside the scanner
CT scan.
Image by NIDDK Image Library
Advanced CT Scanning
An NIH Clinical Center study participant receives a scan in the Photon-Counting CT scanner.
Image by NIH Clinical Center
Sensitive content
This media may include sensitive content
CAT Scan
A computer-assisted tomographic (CAT) scanner, with a Caucasian female technician working at a screen and behind a glass wall. A patient is on a table and being tested by the CAT scanner. The lighting is very subdued. This new technology revolutionized detection of brain tumors.
Image by National Cancer Institute / Linda Bartlett (Photographer)
Virtual Colonoscopy Slice of CT Data
Virtual colonoscopy is a new imaging technology that uses computed tomography (CT) images to look for polyps and cancer in the colon. A computed tomography scanner takes cross-sectional images of the patient's colon, after the colon has been inflated with gas. A three-dimensional model is created from the CT slices and evaluated by a radiologist for abnormalities.
Image by TheVisualMD
Pleural empyema
Amit Banga, GC Khilnani, SK Sharma1, AB Dey, Naveet Wig and Namrata Banga
How Are Pleurisy and Other Pleural Disorders Diagnosed?
Robertolyra
How Are Pleurisy and Other Pleural Disorders Treated?
en:User:Clinical Cases
Chest Radiograph
TheVisualMD
What To Expect During a Coronary Calcium Scan
Semnic
Incision for Open-Chest Bypass Surgery
TheVisualMD
4:22
A child's guide to hospital: CT Chest
The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne/YouTube
1:50
What is it like to have a CT scan? | Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK/YouTube
Coronary CT angiography of coronary arteries
Oxford Academic Cardiovascular CT Core Lab and Lab of Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases at NHLBI
Coronary CT
Bác sĩ Nguyễn Minh Đức
CT of the blood vessels and heart
Bác sĩ Nguyễn Minh Đức
Chest CT showing pulmonary sequestration
RadsWiki
Scimitar syndrome chest CT
Matthew Cham, MD
/Wikimedia
4:59
Having a Cardiac CT Scan in Hospital
Oxford AHSN/YouTube
2:33
What to Expect from a CT Exam with Contrast
RAYUS Radiology™/YouTube
7:48
Protocoling chest CTs
Thoracic Radiology/YouTube
1:44
Low Dose CT Scans to Look for Lung Cancer
Lee Health/YouTube
8:27
Lung Cancer Screening (LCS)
Cleveland Clinic/YouTube
5:10
CT Scan of the Chest Explained Clearly - High Resolution CT Scan (HRCT)
MedCram - Medical Lectures Explained CLEARLY/YouTube
3:29
What to Expect: CT Scan | Cedars-Sinai
Cedars-Sinai/YouTube
17:21
How I Read a Chest CT
Thoracic Radiology/YouTube
8:46
Introduction to Computed Tomographic imaging of the Chest
Yale Radiology and Biomedical Imaging/YouTube
3:09
Lung Cancer Screening: The Life-saving CT Scan
RAYUS Radiology™/YouTube
2:19
How to prepare for a CT scan
Sunnybrook Hospital/YouTube
2:07
Using CT Scans to Screen for Lung Cancer
UConn Health/YouTube
5:04
Cardiac CT scan
UHP_NHS/YouTube
6:28
Real look at Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis CT Scan from Start to Finish.
Dumb Old Dad/YouTube
2:52
What is it like to get a CT Scan with Contrast?
STRIDE Project/YouTube
Thorax with Healthy Heart
TheVisualMD
Heart and Lungs
TheVisualMD
Thorax with Muscle Involved in Respiration
TheVisualMD
Thorax with Muscle Involved in Respiration
TheVisualMD
Thorax with visible Lung and Heart
TheVisualMD
Female Thorax Showing Breast
TheVisualMD
Male Thorax with Visible Heart
TheVisualMD
Thorax with Heart and Lung
TheVisualMD
Cross Section of Human Thorax. Liver in bottom Left
TheVisualMD
Male Thorax Showing Trachea and Lung
TheVisualMD
Thoracic Aneurysm in the Aorta
TheVisualMD
Ventilation/perfusion scan
KieranMaher at English Wikibooks
Bronchi and Bronchiole of Lung
TheVisualMD
Chest Pain
TheVisualMD
Chest Pain
TheVisualMD
Chest Pain or Tightness
TheVisualMD
CT scanner
Official Navy Page from United States of America MC2 Todd Frantom/U.S. Marine Corps
Illustration of 3 X-ray images and a patient entering a CT scanner
NIH News in Health
Drawing of a computerized tomography scanner with a health care professional looking on a computer screen as a patient lies inside the scanner
NIDDK Image Library
Advanced CT Scanning
NIH Clinical Center
Sensitive content
This media may include sensitive content
CAT Scan
National Cancer Institute / Linda Bartlett (Photographer)
Virtual Colonoscopy Slice of CT Data
TheVisualMD
Fungal Culture
Fungal Culture
Also called: Fungal Smear, Fungal Tests
A fungal culture test is used to find out whether you have a fungal infection, a health problem caused by exposure to fungi (more than one fungus). The test may help identify specific fungi, guide treatment, or determine if a fungal infection treatment is working.
Fungal Culture
Also called: Fungal Smear, Fungal Tests
A fungal culture test is used to find out whether you have a fungal infection, a health problem caused by exposure to fungi (more than one fungus). The test may help identify specific fungi, guide treatment, or determine if a fungal infection treatment is working.
A fungal culture test helps diagnose fungal infections. Fungal infections may happen if you are exposed to fungi (more than one fungus). Fungi are plant-like life forms, such as yeasts and molds. Fungi live everywhere:
Outdoors in air and soil and on plants
Indoors on surfaces and in the air
On your skin and inside your body
Normally, if you are healthy, fungi will not make you sick. But there are a few hundred types of fungi that can affect your health. There are two main types of fungal infections:
Superficial fungal infections affect the outside of your body, including your skin, genital area, and nails. They are very common. Usually, these fungal infections aren't serious, but they can cause itchy, scaly rashes, and other uncomfortable conditions. Examples of superficial fungal infections include:
Athlete's foot
Vaginal yeast infections
Jock itch
Ringworm, which causes a circle-shaped rash on the skin that looks like a coiled worm
Systemic fungal infections affect tissue inside your body. The fungus may grow in your lungs, blood, and other organs, including your brain. Anyone can get a systemic fungal infection, but they are less common in healthy people. In healthy people, the infection begins slowly and usually doesn't spread to other organs.
The most serious systemic fungal infections happen in people who have medical conditions that weaken the immune system or need treatment that affects the immune system. These infections tend to spread faster and affect more than one part of the body.
Examples of systemic fungal infections include:
Aspergillosis.
Histoplasmosis.
Pneumocystis pneumonia.
Sporothrix schenckii, or "rose gardener's disease," a fungus that lives in soil and on plants and enters the skin through small cuts and scrapes. It can affect the skin, lungs, joints, and nervous system.
Both superficial and systemic fungal infections can be diagnosed with a fungal culture test.
A fungal culture test is used to find out whether you have a fungal infection. The test may help identify the type of fungus that you have. The test is also used to help guide treatment and to see if treatment is working.
Your health care provider may order a fungal culture test if you have symptoms of a fungal infection. The symptoms vary depending on the type of infection. Symptoms of a superficial fungal infection include:
Red rash
Itchy, scaly, or cracked skin
Hair loss
Itching and/or discharge from the vagina (symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection)
White patches inside the mouth (symptoms of a mouth yeast infection, called thrush)
Nails that are discolored (yellow, brown, or white), thick, or brittle nails
Symptoms of a more serious, systemic fungal infection include:
Cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath
Fever
Joint and muscle aches
Headaches
Chills
Nausea and vomiting
Fatigue
Fast heartbeat
Fungi can infect different parts of the body. To do a fungal culture test you will need to provide a sample of cells or fluid from the part of your body where the fungi may be growing. The most common types of fungal tests are:
Skin or nail scraping
Used to diagnose superficial skin or nail infections
How it's done:
Your provider will use a special tool to take a small sample of your skin or nails. In certain cases, a skin biopsy may be needed.
Swab test
Used to diagnose yeast infections in your mouth or vagina. It may also be used to diagnose certain skin infections.
How it's done:
Your provider will use a special swab to gather tissue or fluid from your mouth, vagina, or from an open skin sore.
Blood Test
Used to find fungi in the blood. Blood tests are often used to diagnose more serious fungal infections.
How it's done:
A health care professional will collect a blood sample. The sample is most often taken from a vein in your arm.
Urine Test
Used to diagnose more serious infections and sometimes to help diagnose a vaginal yeast infection
How it's done:
You will collect a sterile sample of urine in a container, as instructed by your provider.
Sputum Culture
Sputum is a thick mucus that is coughed up from the lungs. It is different from spit or saliva.
Used to help diagnose fungal infections in the lungs
How it's done:
You may be asked to cough up sputum into a special container as instructed by your provider.
After your sample is collected, it will be sent to a lab for analysis. You may not get your results right away. That's because the sample usually needs time to grow so that there's enough to test. Many types of fungi grow within a day or two, and other types can take a few weeks.
You don't need any special preparations to test for a fungal infection.
There is very little risk to having any of the fungal culture tests. If a sample of your skin is taken, you may have a little bleeding or soreness at the site. If you get a blood test, you may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
If fungi are found in your sample, it likely means you have a fungal infection. Sometimes a fungal culture can identify the specific type of fungus causing the infection. But your provider may need to order other tests to make a diagnosis.
Sometimes more testing is needed to help find the right medicine to treat your infection. These tests are called "sensitivity" or "susceptibility" tests. They check to see if which medicine will kill the fungus or stop it from growing. If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
If you are being treated for a fungal infection, be sure to take all your medicine as prescribed, even if you feel better. Many fungal infections clear up within a few days to weeks, but some infections require months or even years of treatment.
Fungal Culture Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Mar 23, 2023]
Treatment
Antifungal medications that inhibit fungal growth
Image by USDA Agricultural Research Service/Photo by Stephen Ausmus.
Antifungal medications that inhibit fungal growth
Molecular biologist Jong H. Kim (left), technician Kathleen L. Chan, and entomologist Bruce C. Campbell inspect petri dishes containing pathogenic fungi. The dish on the left contains thymol and antifungal medications that are inhibiting fungal growth.
Image by USDA Agricultural Research Service/Photo by Stephen Ausmus.
Treatment for Aspergillosis
Type of aspergillosis
Examples
Recommended Treatment
Allergic aspergillosis
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)
Allergic Aspergillus sinusitis
Itraconazole
May consider corticosteroids
Invasive aspergillosis
Invasive aspergillosis
Cutaneous aspergillosis
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis
Voriconazole
Other options: lipid amphotericin formulations, posaconazole, isavuconazole, itraconazole, caspofungin, and micafungin
Aspergilloma
May include surgery and/or antifungal medications
Treatment for invasive and cutaneous aspergillosis: When possible, immunosuppressive medications should be discontinued or decreased. People with severe cases of aspergillosis may need surgery.
Expert guidance is needed for infections not responding to treatment, including antifungal-resistant infections.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (4)
Antifungal drugs target several different cell structures.
Antifungal drugs target several different cell structures. (credit right: modification of work by “Maya and Rike”/Wikimedia Commons)
Image by CNX OpenStax
Steroids, Aspergillus and Antifungals
Video by Aspergillus & Aspergillosis/YouTube
Antifungal Drugs Part 1 - MECHANISM OF ACTION (MOA) | Made EASY
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Aspergillosis
Aspergillus, a type of fungus that lives indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick, but some people get the disease. Learn who is at risk, how it can be prevented, and how it is treated.