Thoracic Radiology

Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in patient care and management. Particularly in the procedural setting, the likelihood of a patient receiving some form of perioperative imaging is high. Therefore, the anesthesiologist should be familiar with the various available radiologic tools, their proper utilization, and the common imaging findings. These diagnostic imaging techniques allow clinicians the opportunity to gain insight into a patient’s unique anatomy and, based on these findings, prepare for a more appropriate patient-centered course of treatment based on these findings. Thoracic radiology is an extensive subject with a long list of potential pathology that can occur within the chest. In this chapter, the authors’ goal is to review the more routinely used imaging modalities (radiography, computed tomography, and ultrasonography) while focusing on some of the most common diseases, disorders, and defects of the thorax encountered by anesthesiologists during their daily practice. These include abnormalities of the airways, lungs, pleura, vasculature, and esophagus.