Imaging

Those who care for patients with pulmonary, critical care or sleep disorders rely heavily on chest radiology and pathology to determine diagnoses. The Southwest Journal of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep publishes case-based articles with characteristic chest imaging and related pathology.

The editor of this section will oversee and coordinate the publication of a core of the most important chest imaging topics. In doing so, they encourage the submission of unsolicited manuscripts. It cannot be overemphasized that both radiologic and pathologic images must be of excellent quality. As a rule, 600 DPI is sufficient for radiographic and pathologic images. Taking pictures of plain chest radiographs and CT scans with a digital camera is strongly discouraged. The figures should be cited in the text and numbered consecutively. The stain used for pathology specimens and magnification should be mentioned in the figure legend. Those who care for patients with pulmonary, critical care or sleep disorders rely heavily on chest radiology and pathology to determine diagnoses. The Southwest Journal of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep publishes case-based articles with characteristic chest imaging and related pathology. The editor of this section will oversee and coordinate the publication of a core of the most important chest imaging topics. In doing so, they encourage the submission of unsolicited manuscripts. It cannot be overemphasized that both radiologic and pathologic images must be of excellent quality. As a rule, 600 DPI is sufficient for radiographic and pathologic images. Taking pictures of plain chest radiographs and CT scans with a digital camera is strongly discouraged. The figures should be cited in the text and numbered consecutively. The stain used for pathology specimens and magnification should be mentioned in the figure legend.

Rick Robbins, M.D. Rick Robbins, M.D.

Medical Image of the Week: Metastatic Colon Cancer to the Pleura

Figure 1. Pleuroscopy showing visceral (star) and parietal pleura (arrow) adenocarcinoma lesions.

A 55 year old man presented with recurrent exudative effusion of unexplained etiology. After non-diagnostic thoracentesis, pleuroscopy was performed.  Visceral (star) and parietal pleura (arrow) lesions were found (Figure 1).  Biopsies were performed and showed adenocarcinoma consistent with colon cancer on immunohistochemical staining.  Subsequent colonoscopy confirmed an asymptomatic colon cancer.

James L. Knepler, Jr. MD

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Arizona Respiratory Center

University of Arizona 

Tucson, Arizona

Reference as: Knepler JL. Medical image of the week: metastatic colon cancer to the pleura. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care 2013(1);6:4. PDF

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