Posteroanterior chest X-ray for the diagnosis of pneumothorax: methods, usage, and resolution

steroanterior chest X-ray for the diagnosis of pneumothorax: methods, usage, and resolution Review (8193) Total Article Views Authors: Denise Rossato Silva, Sandra Jungblut Schuh, Paulo de Tarso Roth Dalcin Published Date August 2010 Volume 2010:3 Pages 29 - 34 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/RMI.S10377 Denise Rossato Silva, Sandra Jungblut Schuh, Paulo de Tarso Roth Dalcin Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil Abstract: Most pneumothoraces are demonstrated on fully inspired erect posteroanterior (PA) chest X-ray (CXR). Expiratory films may have a role in the clinical management of patients with a small respiratory reserve in whom pneumothorax is suspected and not demonstrated on the inspiratory film. PA CXR can be used for the diagnosis of spontaneous and -nonspontaneous pneumothoraces. When digital radiography is used, for most authors, a 2.5-lp/mm spatial -resolution is satisfactory to detect a pneumothorax.