Bronchitis is not always noticeable on fluorography; it can be determined by a number of indirect signs. Doctors resort to other, more accurate research methods in order to diagnose the disease in time and prescribe effective treatment. Timely diagnosis diseases of the bronchi and lungs prevents complications of pathology.
Description of the disease
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the bronchi from the inside. Typical disease causes swelling of the mucous membrane and the appearance of pathological discharge, in the form of mucus, on the walls of the bronchi. With stenosis, breathing becomes difficult and the volume of air entering the lungs is reduced.
Often bronchitis is a consequence of acute respiratory viral infection, treatment of which was started too late, or therapy was not carried out to completion. This complication appears after ARVI no more than once a year, and in more frequent cases they speak of chronic obstructive bronchitis. Sometimes illness occurs due to work hazardous production associated with increased dustiness of the room.
Signs of bronchitis are primarily difficulty breathing, deterioration general condition, increased body temperature, spasms, wheezing in the throat.
However, these signs are also given by other pathologies, for example, cardiac ones. To diagnose the inflammatory process in the bronchi, doctors prescribe additional examinations which allow a clear diagnosis.
Who is the examination indicated for?
The indication for undergoing an X-ray examination of the chest organs is the doctor’s suspicion of pathology, based on subjective data. If the patient has signs of abnormality, it makes sense to take an x-ray. It is recommended for the following patients:
- patients with elevated temperature body and general malaise;
- with difficulty breathing, attacks of suffocation, shortness of breath;
- if you suspect chronic bronchitis of a smoker with characteristic symptoms;
- if the patient has an atypical whistle or wheezing in the lungs or bronchi;
- long time a severe cough persists (dry, hysterical, or with sputum);
- expressed respiratory failure(shallow breathing, decreased lung capacity, etc.);
- if necessary, monitor the patient’s health after treatment.
If these symptoms are present, doctors recommend undergoing an x-ray examination. X-rays are also prescribed to differentiate bronchitis from pneumonia, which is often difficult using other research methods. 
They resort to x-ray diagnostics and in the event that complications arise that cannot be visualized by other methods. For example, obstruction, in which the bronchi are clogged with pathological discharge - mucus, which disrupts normal gas exchange in the lungs.
X-ray of the lungs
Complications that arose as a result of it. If the patient directly inflammatory process in the bronchi, the following features will be noticeable in the image:
Other signs
Besides typical signs, such as decreased root structure, increased pulmonary pattern and thickening of the bronchi, other image descriptions are possible. For example, the image will show the curvature of the bronchi along their course, which is associated with the development of the inflammatory process and swelling.
Bronchitis on x-ray is characterized by the proliferation of connective tissue formations on the walls of the bronchi, as well as on the outside. The picture of complications may also be typical:
- bronchial obstruction (the presence of bronchial blockage, which is visualized as light “peas”);
- emphysema - transparent lungs due to air accumulated in them, which allows x-rays to pass through.
Additionally, the diagnosis is established by the abnormal condition of the diaphragm.
Fluorography or x-ray
Digital scanning fluorograph (the safest and modern method diagnostics) Diagnosis of the chest organs using x-ray examination or fluorography is performed frequently. Fluorography is considered a simple and less harmful research method, so it is recommended for prevention purposes, and in some countries it is legalized. In Russia, fluorography has been used for this purpose since the thirties of the last century. Using this method, large masses of the population were examined to identify tuberculosis and pneumonia (pneumonia).
Today, fluorography puts significantly less burden on the patient. The study is performed as traditional method, by taking an image of the lungs on film, and digitally, when the image is displayed on a monitor. The latter, more modern method, made it possible to further reduce the harmfulness of the radiation dose. Please note that indications for fluorography include the following:
- the patient has HIV;
- registration for military service;
- diagnostics of the environment living with a pregnant woman;
- initial visit to the clinic.
As can be seen from the indications for fluorography, they are preventive and are not associated with certain pathologies. Even tuberculosis and pneumonia on fluorography will require additional, more careful study using other methods of radiation diagnostics.
If bronchitis is suspected, fluorography turns out to be uninformative, so patients undergo radiography. Indeed, the dose of such a study will be much higher than with fluorography, however, the clarity of the resulting image allows us to determine accurate diagnosis. Indications for the study are suspicions of specific abnormalities, such as cancer of the chest organs, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc.
Additional Research
X-rays are usually sufficient to make the diagnosis. Bronchitis in the picture is clear and beyond doubt. However, upon detection accompanying pathologies may be required additional research others by radiation methods diagnostics:
All these techniques have a certain diagnostic value and allow you to establish the correct diagnosis.
Diagnosis of bronchitis using radiation research methods is the most exact way determine the presence of pathology, its severity, possible complications.
The main study today is radiography, and, if necessary, bronchoscopy with a contrast agent, which are carried out in any modern clinic.
Respiratory problems upon exposure foreign body into the respiratory organs and tracts medical name– aspiration.
Most often, children of primary preschool age are hospitalized with this diagnosis. This is due to the fact that while playing, children are interested in tasting their favorite toys. The little ones put everything in their mouths that comes to hand, which is why, in order to protect the child from danger, it is necessary to exclude all toys with small parts from the children's room.
IN childhood the danger is that the child cannot always explain what happened. And in the absence of pronounced symptoms, the fact that a foreign matter enters Airways It is determined when concomitant diseases develop.
Objects in the lungs completely or partially block the bronchial lumen, disrupting the movement of air, causing inflammation and purulent processes in the pulmonary tract.
The size of the foreign body determines where it will go: into the trachea, bronchi or lungs. Next, we’ll look at the dangers of objects getting into the respiratory system and what to do in this case.
Why are foreign bodies in the lungs dangerous and how to recognize the condition?
In most cases, foreign bodies enter the right-sided bronchi and lungs. This is due to the large volume right lung and its location. Particles deposited in small bronchial branches rarely cause significant symptoms.
Most often, a rare cough is observed, which is attributed to a cold.
This condition is difficult to diagnose, and is dangerous because foreign particles can completely block the bronchial lumen.
Even if a person feels relatively normal immediately after a foreign body enters the lungs, the following symptoms develop over time:
The worst sign is the absence of a cough, which means that a foreign body has completely blocked the airways.
When the particles are large enough, they can completely block the air supply to the lungs, which can lead to fatal outcome. Symptoms of a life-threatening condition:
- The complexion changes, acquiring a red or blue tint.
- Inability to take a breath.
- Sudden onset of paroxysmal cough.
- The patient is holding his throat.
- Hoarseness, complete loss of voice.
- Whistling breathing.
- Dyspnea.
- Loss of consciousness.
Objects with an uneven surface, when swallowed, contribute more than others to the inflammatory process, since mucus is retained on them, bacteria settle, and they can injure the bronchial tract. Foreign proteins cause allergic reactions and local inflammatory processes.
Most great danger represent food particles that can decompose into smaller grains. Only a doctor will tell you what to do if food gets into the respiratory system. Its extraction is more difficult, and the particles decompose very quickly, causing purulent inflammation.
When a foreign body enters the bronchial tract, the following diseases develop:
- Emphysema.
- Obstructive bronchitis.
- Pulmonary edema.
- Pneumonia.
- Purulent pleurisy.
- Lung abscess.
- Bronchiectostasis.
If foreign objects are in the small bronchial passages, mechanical damage, infection and proliferation of lung tissue are possible.
To avoid this, if you suspect aspiration, you must contact a pulmonologist, who, after conducting a diagnosis, will determine whether there is a foreign body in the respiratory tract or not.
Diagnosis and treatment
First of all, diagnosis is based on the victim’s complaints. If it concerns a child, then on the stories of adults about what happened. If the fact of aspiration was not noticed, then without the presence external symptoms, diagnosis can be difficult.
First, the patient's breathing is listened to; the doctor may hear: wheezing, whistling, weakened or harsh breathing. If the bronchial lumen is completely blocked, the specialist will not hear anything. The following are assigned diagnostic methods:
- Radiography.
- X-ray.
- Endoscopy.
X-rays do not always show objects and food that have entered the respiratory tract. This may be due to X-ray leakage or severe swelling in the lungs that obscures the foreign body.
The most precise method diagnostics will be endoscopy. Depending on the condition and age of the patient, the procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia.
For children, endoscopy is performed only under general anesthesia. Another diagnostic method is chest MRI, but it is used extremely rarely due to the high cost of the procedure.
Urgent actions
What should you do first if you have aspiration? If a foreign body enters the respiratory tract, the patient's condition should be assessed. If he is conscious and not choking, he needs to clear his throat well. If you suspect that particles may remain in the respiratory system, you should call ambulance or go to the hospital emergency room yourself.
If the cough after aspiration is accompanied by shortness of breath and cyanosis on the face, the following assistance should be provided:
It is forbidden to knock on the back in vertical position, thus the particles will sink even lower! Particular care should be taken when handling children. If round, flat objects hit, the child can be turned upside down and knocked on the back, perhaps the object will fall out on its own.
Health care
In any case, entry of a foreign body into the lungs and bronchi requires medical intervention. Therefore, at the first signs of aspiration, it is necessary to call an ambulance, and, while waiting for it, help the patient remove the object from the respiratory tract.
Treating aspiration means removing foreign particles from the airways. If foreign particles enter the larynx, it is possible to remove the foreign body manually or using laryngoscopy. If a foreign body is found in the trachea, a tracheoscopy procedure is performed.
The greatest difficulty in removing a foreign body is bronchoscopy - the extraction of small particles from the bronchi and bronchial tracts. Often this procedure has to be repeated several times, especially if the object is very crumbly, for example, if food has entered the respiratory tract.
So that there won't be any left negative consequences aspiration, you should consult a doctor immediately if you suspect that particles have entered the lungs.
During endoscopic intervention, in addition to removing the foreign body, pus and mucus accumulated in the bronchial lumens are sucked out. In some cases, a piece of lung tissue is taken for a biopsy, since the development of benign and malignant tumors. After removing the object from the respiratory tract, further treatment is based on eliminating the consequences of aspiration - anti-inflammatory treatment.
Bronchitis is quite frequent illness which many people suffer from. The formation of the disease can occur due to smoking, occupational hazards, inhalation of dust or paint fumes, small metal particles, and natural irritants (pollen and animal dander). Sometimes, when bronchitis is suspected, the doctor orders the patient to undergo X-ray examination. In this article we will tell you why an X-ray of the lungs is taken for bronchitis and what this disease will look like on it.
Why is x-ray prescribed for inflammation of the bronchi?
X-ray is additional method examinations of the respiratory system. It can be used to diagnose or exclude the presence of obstruction or pneumonia, as well as tuberculosis or cancer. This is dictated by the fact that the rays of the X-ray machine do not image or show the bronchi. The photographs show only a side ailment. So it is impossible to diagnose bronchitis using an x-ray examination. Even an experienced pulmonologist will be able to diagnose this disease only by excluding other possible ailments.
In the absence of problems with the lungs, we can confidently attribute the symptoms to inflammation of the bronchi.
This occurs due to the activation of the immune system during any inflammatory process, when so-called inflammatory mediators are released into the bloodstream. They help increase vascular permeability and movement immune cells to the pathological area. As a result, edema forms and the bronchial walls thicken, which entails a decrease in visibility during examination with an X-ray machine.
In what cases is a chest x-ray prescribed if bronchitis is suspected?
X-ray of the bronchi is prescribed in the following situations:
- In the presence of external symptoms: long-term fever (especially when the temperature rises in the evenings); chills, increased sweating, cough (with or without sputum production), shortness of breath.
- If the structure of the blood changes (leukocytes appear in significant numbers, mainly “young forms”, the ESR accelerates - this is a sign that inflammation is progressing in the body).
- When previous therapeutic methods were ineffective (if they did not take an x-ray immediately).
- To check how effectively the treatment worked.
In what cases is x-ray contraindicated?
Patients are interested in how often such examinations can be carried out so as not to harm their health? Since during each examination using an X-ray machine, a person is exposed to radiation.
Irradiation with a dose of up to 1 m3v over the course of a year does not cause harm (during an X-ray of the lungs, a person receives a dose of 0.3-3 m3v).
What does an x-ray show for bronchitis?
On X-ray images All organs are displayed differently; the heart on an x-ray looks like a spot of light. If the lungs are healthy, the same type of shade is visible in the image; if there is an illness, it is displayed in the form of spots of different saturation. If dark spots appear on an x-ray during bronchitis, it means that edema and inflammation are forming in the lungs.
On fluorography it is impossible to see the full picture of the disease, this method diagnostics is used in the form of preventive research. With its help, they learn about the condition of the lung tissue, and it is also possible to consider the presence of fibrosis and foreign agents. Such a diagnosis does not irradiate a person so much, but if a disease is detected, the doctor will still prescribe an X-ray examination of the chest organs.
What does bronchitis look like on x-ray and how is it diagnosed:
- The image of the lungs changes - small vessels become invisible.
- It is possible to examine areas where tissues are falling.
- The roots of the lungs lose their clarity of outline and become larger.
- The walls of the bronchi thicken.
- Infiltration foci can be seen.
- The outlines lose their clarity.
- You can notice areas of tissue where there are no vessels.
- Light-colored bubbles may be localized in the lower lobes of the organ, which is evidence of their weightlessness.
Translating the language of radiologists into the common language, we can say this: the image will show the presence of edema in the lungs, scars or deformation of the bronchi.
Bronchitis itself cannot be seen on an x-ray; it will show scattered changes in the tissues, thanks to which changes in form and content are detected respiratory organs. With advanced bronchitis, emphysema becomes noticeable.
If fibrosis is present, the image looks like a mesh; this indicator is used to determine acute or chronic bronchitis. When the lumens in the bronchial ducts narrow, airiness of the lung tissue occurs, which can be seen in the image.
X-ray picture of obstructive bronchitis
X-ray examination of the sternum makes it possible to examine the presence of obstruction. This dangerous indicator is characterized by blockage of the respiratory system, as a result, ventilation in the lungs is disrupted. If available obstructive bronchitis, the picture changes slightly, all the named indicators complement the following differences:
- The diaphragm thickens and shifts significantly.
- The position of the heart becomes vertical, which negatively affects the main organ.
- The covers of the lungs become transparent and the air cannot be seen.
- The blood supply deteriorates significantly, which leads to congestion in the lungs.
- The image of the lung is focal; curvature can be seen in the lower part.
- The bronchi become denser and their structure is disrupted.
- The outline is very vague, but the image of the bronchial tree is clearly expressed.
If there is a suspicion of tuberculosis, an X-ray examination in several projections or an MRI of the sternum is prescribed. In addition, X-rays can show some indirect signs that allow you to accurately diagnose the disease.
What does chronic bronchitis look like on x-ray:
- Bronchial lumens increase.
- The walls of the bronchi thicken (mainly due to the inflammatory process).
- The arterial lumen narrows.
- Local areas of compression of lung tissue appear.
The use of bronchography during x-ray examination
Bronchography is a diagnostic method that is carried out by introducing contrast. With such an examination, the most complete information is obtained about the structure of the respiratory system and the presence of any formations. This method is the most informative at the moment. However, bronchography is performed after bronchoscopy (examination using transillumination). Such a diagnosis is prescribed as a last resort, since it can cause serious discomfort to a person.
Bronchography is performed after local anesthesia. The patient is injected with a warm contrast agent, which is monitored on an X-ray screen.
If bronchitis is diagnosed using an X-ray, the doctor prescribes therapeutic methods, which, as a rule, are effective. The main thing is that the patient seeks medical help in time.
A special type of respiratory tract pathology is foreign bodies. They can enter the upper sections (larynx and trachea), but in most cases one has to deal with this pathology already at the level of the bronchi.
Foreign bodies are various substances and objects that should not normally be in the respiratory tract. They can be of organic (food, seeds and grains, bones, nuts, peas) or inorganic (nails, nuts, beads, buttons, toys) origin. A foreign body enters bronchial tree in various ways:
- Aspiration (inhalation from the outside, reverse reflux during reflux or vomiting).
- Through a through hole (damage to the lung and chest).
- At surgical procedures(removal of tumors and adenoids, tracheotomy).
IN clinical practice The most common route is aspiration. Inhalation of small objects is more common in children who have a habit of holding them in their mouth. Then, during play, laughter, crying or when frightened, a foreign body enters the bronchi.
Special attention should be paid to conditions when aspiration occurs in unconscious or when performing surgical interventions. The latter refers to iatrogenic injuries associated with violation of the surgical technique.
Organic and inorganic bodies, once in the lower respiratory tract, behave differently. Hard and sharp particles can damage the mucous membrane and become firmly entrenched in it, without completely blocking the lumen. Smooth objects easily slide over the surface of the epithelium, penetrating deeper. Organic components (seeds, peas) swell, completely blocking the air flow, and sometimes crumble, falling into smaller bronchi.
Foreign bodies in the bronchi are a pathology that affects not only children, but also adults. Most often, foreign objects enter by aspiration.
Morphological changes
Pathological processes occurring in the lower parts of the respiratory tract are determined by the size, location, type of foreign body and the duration of its presence. Most often, foreign objects enter the right bronchus, because it is wider than the left and extends from the trachea in a more vertical direction. First, the following reactions develop:
- Bronchospasm.
- Swelling.
- Redness.
- Erosion.
- Hypersecretion.
These processes are universal in nature; they arise in response to damage and are designed to limit the movement of a foreign component. Subsequently, an inflammatory reaction develops around the foreign body, granulation tissue grows, a fibrous capsule forms, and adhesions and scars form.
When a foreign body in the bronchus moves (moves) during breathing, it does not completely obstruct the lumen of the respiratory tract. In this situation, secondary disorders in the lungs are slightly expressed. With the so-called valve blockage, when the body does not adhere tightly to the mucous membrane, air penetrates into the alveoli when inhaling, but when exhaling it does not come out due to reflex bronchospasm. Then emphysema develops.
Complete obstruction of the bronchus leads to a decrease in the airiness of the corresponding area of the lung tissue. Atelectasis develops, which is characterized by the collapse of the walls of the alveoli and their exclusion from gas exchange processes. We must not forget that a foreign body always contains bacteria on its surface, which, when they enter the respiratory tract, trigger bacteria there. infectious process. And in conditions of reduced ventilation it takes on a protracted and poorly resolved character.
Under the influence of foreign bodies in the respiratory tract, a number of morphological changes which give rise to clinical symptoms.
Symptoms
Immediately after a foreign object hits, the so-called debut phase is observed. It is characterized the following signs, arising suddenly:
- Paroxysmal cough.
- Hoarseness of voice and aphonia.
- Shortness of breath until breathing stops (asphyxia).
Then the foreign body in the bronchus enters a phase when the ventilation function somewhat stabilizes (relative compensation). At this time, the child, due to bronchospasm and incomplete blockage of the respiratory tract, experiences stridor and wheezing, audible at a distance. Mixed shortness of breath is a concern, and pain in the corresponding half of the chest may occur.
Further symptoms are determined by the severity of secondary inflammatory reactions in the bronchopulmonary system. The last phase of the clinical picture (complications) occurs with the following manifestations:
- Productive cough.
- Discharge of mucopurulent sputum.
- Dyspnea.
- Hemoptysis.
- Fever.
Foreign bodies cause bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, abscesses, and fistulas. Physical examination reveals signs of atelectasis, pneumonic infiltration, or emphysema (diminished breathing, wheezing, dullness or box-like sound to percussion). But there are also cases when the process is completely asymptomatic, emerging completely by accident.
Symptoms indicating a foreign body in the bronchi are nonspecific: cough, shortness of breath, pain in the chest. But it is important to note how and against what background they arise.
Additional diagnostics
The fact of aspiration of a foreign object cannot always be noticed. That's why great importance in the diagnosis of pathology there are additional methods:
- Radiography.
- Tomography (computer and magnetic resonance imaging).
- Bronchoscopy.
- Bronchography.
Cases with inorganic bodies are especially difficult, because they are not visible on a standard x-ray. However, even then, indirect signs can be noticed: atelectasis, emphysema and focal changes in the lung tissue. But the most reliable method is bronchoscopy, which allows you to see the foreign object itself. Often it is hidden behind granulations and fibrous changes.
Treatment
For any foreign body in the bronchi, its removal is indicated. In this case, they use the endoscopic method, which is effective in most cases. Having detected a foreign object, it is grabbed with bronchoscope forceps. Metal components are removed using a magnet, and small ones are removed using electric suction. After the procedure, it is necessary to re-examine the respiratory tract to exclude the presence of object debris and injury to the bronchial wall.
If a foreign body is deeply embedded in the bronchial wall and cannot be removed endoscopically, a thoraco- and bronchotomy must be performed. The same tactics are chosen if complications such as ruptures or bleeding occur during therapeutic bronchoscopy.
Medication correction is of auxiliary importance, which allows eliminating secondary changes in the respiratory system. The most commonly used drugs are antibiotics, mucolytics and expectorants. But to eliminate symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath, it is necessary to first remove the foreign object.
The only correct tactic for a foreign body is to remove it from the bronchial tree.
Forecast and preventive measures
Timely removal of a foreign object gives confidence in a favorable prognosis. Delayed diagnosis leads to various complications: pleural empyema, pneumothorax, fistulas and bleeding, mediastinitis, etc. Sometimes the baby can even die from sudden asphyxia.
Preventive measures should include mandatory parental control over the quality of children's toys and their appropriateness for age. The child must be weaned from the habit of putting any objects in his mouth. From the outside medical workers It is required to carry out educational work among the population and observe the technique of surgical manipulations.
A foreign body in the bronchus is a serious situation that can be accompanied by a risk to life. Increased attention should be paid not only to timely diagnostic and therapeutic measures, but also issues of prevention.
Bronchitis in radiology, both here and abroad, remains a controversial topic. This method is not intended to diagnose inflammation of the trachea or bronchi. Bronchitis on an x-ray is more of a myth than a reality. When translating foreign sources, this diagnosis is often confused with bronchiolitis, which is a completely different disease. In addition, a lot depends on the device (digital, analog) and the quality of the resulting image. But no matter how it is, it is almost impossible to see bronchitis in the picture.
Radiology in diagnostics
X-rays for bronchitis are not used by competent clinicians to diagnose this pathology or verify the diagnosis. Most radiologists are of the opinion that it is impossible to see a reliable picture of this disease on an x-ray. Even in qualifying tests on this subject for doctors of this specialty, when asked what the signs are acute illness on the x-ray, you should answer that there are none.
The direction to Rg is given by:
- At acute form pathologies - to exclude focal pneumonia, especially if the therapist auscultates (listens) for suspicious moments.
- For chronic bronchitis - for differential diagnosis with neoplasms. Although in this case we are not talking about inflammation of the bronchi, but about a chronic cough. And then CT or MSCT will be more informative.
The maximum that you can ask an experienced radiologist to indicate in the presence of indirect signs of bronchitis is that the changes may indicate the disease. But practitioners argue that such changes, as a rule, turn out to be:
- Beginning emphysema.
- Small focal pneumonia.
- Pneumofibrosis or other pulmonary pathology.
It is designed specifically for diagnosing changes in lung tissue. this method. The bronchi are not lung tissue. These include bronchioles and alveoli. The changes described above can be triggered by prolonged inflammation of the bronchi. But they may also have a different etiology.
Bronchopneumonia can be diagnosed using X-ray examination.
Radiation signs of the disease
In the case of a mild inflammatory process, neither x-ray nor CT scan, as diagnostic methods, are not used. In this case about radial signs there is no point in talking about this pathology. According to some authors:
- In case of severe acute course of the pathological process, the image shows the lumens of the bronchi, bordered by their expanded walls, enhancing the pulmonary and hilar patterns.
- In the case of chronic pathological process, thickening of the bronchial walls occurs over time. And this can be seen on film or a computer screen.
However, according to most diagnosticians, such changes in the bronchial wall do not show any x-rays, neither CT nor relatively new method diagnostics – multi-slice CT.
The absence of any changes in the lungs and bronchi on an X-ray is not evidence of the absence of the disease (both acute and chronic).
In the case of prolonged inflammation of the bronchi, lung tissue may also be affected. Then it is not the bronchitis itself that is visible on the x-ray, but the changes affecting the lungs:
- Strengthening the pattern of the lungs.
- Its deformation is diffuse (mesh type).
- Massive shadows of the interstitium of the lungs.
- Central hyperemia.
X-ray signs of bronchitis, in its chronic form, sometimes include:
- Linear and ring-shaped shadows, signaling the development of peribronchial connective tissue, that is, the process of fibrosis.
- Symptoms pulmonary hypertension(change in the position of the diaphragm - its low position, reduction of the shadow of the heart, expansion of the large vessels of the lungs, etc.).
Signs chronic bronchitis with obstruction radiology diagnostics described as manifestations of pneumosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial fibrosis in a diffuse form.
Such changes in the lungs with bronchitis are possible. But an interpretation focusing on bronchitis, even obstructive, is far-fetched. Rather, it will be the lungs of an elderly smoker.
Diagnosis of bronchitis
Diagnosis of this disease is usually carried out by:
- Taking anamnesis.
- Auscultation (listening).
- Percussion (tapping).
- Laboratory analysis biological fluids(particularly blood).
If clinical picture When the disease is characteristic, the following are observed:
- Cough.
- Sputum discharge.
- Shortness of breath, sweating.
- Leukocytosis was detected in the blood.
- The temperature rises to febrile levels.
These studies are quite sufficient. In this case, bronchitis will not show itself in the picture. And there is no point in exposing the patient to even minimal Rg radiation, especially if pathological process responds well to antibiotic therapy.
If necessary, a therapist or pulmonologist may prescribe:
- Spirometry.
- Sputum analysis.
An X-ray may be prescribed for prolonged dry cough, hemoptysis, or ineffectiveness of the prescribed treatment. In this case, the patient may be recommended to undergo CT or microslice CT.
The most simple method, of course, is the use of an X-ray machine. Almost all of them are equipped with a standard “film” version. medical institutions. Unfortunately, to diagnose acute bronchitis he won't help. But thanks to it, it is possible to differentiate tuberculosis or lung cancer, fibrotic changes and pneumocaniosis.
When asked what bronchitis looks like on a picture, most radiologists will answer that it doesn’t look like it at all. When identifying radiation signs of lung pathology, other ailments of the respiratory system will come first. That is, the answer to the question whether a doctor can see bronchitis on an x-ray will be most likely negative. What you can see on an x-ray is inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia), but not inflammation of the bronchi.
