Chest X-ray Essentials

Imaging

Video course

by Julian Dobranowski, MD FRCPC FCAR

Being able to interpret the basic findings on a chest x-ray (CXR) is one of the most important clinical skills. Whether it’s pulmonary congestion, pneumonia, pleural effusion, or cardiomyopathy, many common and life-threatening problems can be readily diagnosed with the help of a chest x-ray. In this course, you'll learn the most essential chest x-ray interpretation skills. Come in and become an expert.

5h 12m 39s

12 Quizzes

7 CME

What’s in it for you?

Master the most important skills

Learn the skills experts say you need to master in order to become a great clinician.

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After completing this course, you will be able to

Make a correct diagnosis using our step-by-step algorithm
Confidently distinguish between normal and abnormal findings
Differentiate between pneumonia and heart failure
Recognize even a small pneumothorax
Identify tumors, pleural effusion, basic cardiac abnormalities, and aberrantly placed lines and devices on a chest x-ray.

What's inside

Free

Chapter 1

Getting into the x-ray dimension

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how a chest x-ray is created and be able to identify the key components of a chest x-ray.

6 lessons

23m 53s

Getting into the x-ray dimension intro

39s

The importance of grayscale

7m 15s

The importance of overlap RAEs and interfaces

7m 28s

The importance of shapes and key landmarks

4m 42s

How pathology changes the grayscale

3m 49s

Getting into the x-ray dimension quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 2

X-ray examinations and the x-ray image

At the end of this chapter, the student will know about the different types of chest x-ray examinations and understand the key elements of the interpretive process.

5 lessons

26m 37s

X-ray examinations and the x-ray image intro

34s

Types of x-ray examinations

7m 10s

The importance of quality—good film / bad film

10m 12s

Visual perception

8m 41s

X-ray examinations and the x-ray image quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 3

Airways, hila, and mediastinum

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to differentiate between normal and abnormal airways, hila, and mediastinum on a chest X-ray.

12 lessons

1h 4m 3s

Airways, hila, and mediastinum intro

56s

Radiological zones—and an introduction to landmarks

4m 50s

Trachea and major bronchi

7m 43s

How to confidently identify the carina

4m 13s

Trachea and bronchi—common pathology

5m 50s

The hilum—identification

9m 5s

The hilum—pulmonary veins

2m 49s

The hila—common abnormalities

5m 32s

The mediastinum—anatomy and classification

7m 19s

The mediastinum—lines, stripes, and borders

6m 17s

The mediastinum—common pathology

9m 29s

Airways, hila, and mediastinum quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 4

The lungs, airspaces, and interstitium

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to differentiate between normal and abnormal lungs on the chest X-ray.

11 lessons

43m 32s

The lungs, airspaces, and interstitium intro

59s

Radiological anatomy of the airspaces

4m 42s

Radiological anatomy of peripheral pulmonary vessels and the interstitium

4m 45s

Pathology that causes the lungs to be too white

5m 15s

The many faces of pneumonia

5m 4s

Interstitial lung disease—linear / reticular pattern

Interstitial lung disease—nodular pattern

3m 44s

Lung nodules and masses—detecting lung cancer

5m 19s

The lungs—easily missed pathology

3m 28s

The hyperlucent lung

5m 16s

The lungs, airspaces, and interstitium quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 5

The heart and pericardium

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to differentiate between normal and abnormal heart and mediastinum on the chest X-ray.

7 lessons

22m 57s

The heart and pericardium intro

35s

Radiological anatomy (rAnatomy)

6m 1s

Location of the heart valves

4m 1s

Abnormal cardiopericardial shadow

5m 5s

The failing heart

4m 15s

The pericardium—common pathology

The heart and pericardium quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 6

The pleura, diaphragms, and chest wall

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to differentiate between normal and abnormal pleura, diaphragms, and chest walls on the chest X-ray.

10 lessons

41m 11s

The pleura, diaphragms, and chest wall intro

40s

The pleura—radiological anatomy (rAnatomy)

6m 53s

Pleural space—when the pleura is too black

7m 7s

Pleural space—when it is too white

5m 27s

What else can go wrong with the pleura?

4m 47s

The diaphragms—radiological anatomy (rAnatomy)

3m 11s

The diaphragms—common pathology

2m 26s

The chest wall—radiological anatomy (rAnatomy)

5m 19s

The chest wall—common pathology

5m 21s

The pleura, diaphragms, and chest wall quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 7

Localization of disease in the thorax

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to confidently localize pathology within the thorax.

7 lessons

13m 32s

Localization of disease in the thorax intro

27s

Probability method

2m 20s

Characterization method

2m 36s

Grid method—establishing the grid lines

3m 39s

Using the grid method in the right lung

2m 45s

Using the grid method in the left lung

1m 45s

Localization of disease in the thorax quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 8

Atelectasis and collapse

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to confidently identify and localize lobar collapse.

7 lessons

23m 49s

Atelectasis and collapse intro

35s

Types of atelectasis

6m 43s

Radiological features of lobar collapse

3m 35s

Collapse involving the right lung lobes

6m 14s

Collapse involving the left lung lobes

3m 24s

Entire lung vs. effusion

3m 18s

Atelectasis and collapse quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 9

Lines, tubes, and devices

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to confidently identify the normal and aberrant positioning of intravascular, intracardiac, airway, and GI lines and tubes

10 lessons

26m 40s

Lines, tubes, and devices intro

26s

Central venous lines

4m 13s

Abnormal central venous catheter positioning

3m 44s

Airway tubes

3m 6s

Abnormal ETT positioning

2m 55s

Nasogastric tubes

3m 3s

Abnormal nasogastric (NG) positioning

3m 27s

Cardiac leads

3m 9s

Abnormal cardiac pacer leads positioning

2m 37s

Lines, tubes, and devices quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 10

The post-op chest

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to confidently identify the normal and abnormal findings related to thoracic surgery.

7 lessons

12m 7s

The post-op chest intro

The post-op chest quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 11

The AP chest x-ray

At the end of this chapter, the student will know what to look out for on a portable chest X-ray.

4 lessons

9m 39s

The AP chest x-ray intro

40s

Indications and technical considerations

4m 34s

The critically ill patient—special considerations

4m 25s

The AP chest x-ray quiz

Quiz

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Chapter 12

The interpretive process

At the end of this chapter, the student will know how to confidently interpret a chest X-ray.

4 lessons

4m 39s

The interpretive process intro

40s

The step-by-step approach

2m 4s

The algorithm

1m 55s

The interpretive process quiz

Quiz

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Teachers of this course

Julian Dobranowski, MD FRCPC FCAR

Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at Niagara Health in Ontario, Canada. Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiology, McMaster University.

Teacher Profile

Medmastery

Nora Drenaline

Imaging

Claim your certificate

All members receive a certificate for completing this course. For Pro members, the certificate comes with 7 CME credits.

CME accredited

All our courses and workshops are fully CME accredited. We provide USA AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Pro members can download their CME certificates upon successful completion of activities. Want to transfer these credits to your national system? No problem.

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CME at its best

Award-winning teaching method

Winner of the Comenius EduMedia Medal
For outstanding digital education—Berlin 2013
Highly commended by the British Medical Association
Awarded in the digital category of the BMA Book Awards—London 2017
Winner of the Comenius EduMedia Seal
For outstanding digital education—Berlin 2017
Internationally accredited
CME accredited in the USA and EU with mutual recognition agreements in most other countries.
Trusted institutional partner
Used by residency programs and universities around the world to train their clinicians and students.
Top-rated by our learners
Rated excellent by hundreds of users on Trustpilot, an independent reviewing platform.

What’s in it for you?

Master the most important skills

Learn any skill in under 5 hours

Save time and money

After completing this course, you will be able to

What's inside

Getting into the x-ray dimension

X-ray examinations and the x-ray image

Airways, hila, and mediastinum

The lungs, airspaces, and interstitium

The heart and pericardium

The pleura, diaphragms, and chest wall

Localization of disease in the thorax

Atelectasis and collapse

Lines, tubes, and devices

The post-op chest

The AP chest x-ray

The interpretive process

Claim your certificate

CME accredited

Winner of the Comenius EduMedia Medal

Highly commended by the British Medical Association

Winner of the Comenius EduMedia Seal

Internationally accredited

Trusted institutional partner

Top-rated by our learners