Interpreting A Chest CT Scan

OVERVIEW

The following guide helps walk you through a comprehensive approach to understand and interpreting chest CT scans. As a refresher read this guide on the fundamentals of CT studies to help orient yourself.

BASIC ALGORITHM

When interpreting any radiological study it is important to have a clear algorithm.

1. Airway: begin on the lung window and trace the trachea down to the bronchi/branching airways.
2. Lungs: keep the same window and go through looking for nodules, or any lung pathology. Go lobe by lobe.
3. Mediastinum: change windows the the mediastinal window. Look at…
   • Heart
   • Vessel sizes
   • Presence of atherosclerosis 
   • Esophagus 
   • Thyroid 
   • Pleura
4. Chest wall: 
   • Breast: 
   • Axilla: looking for lymphadenopathy
   • Chest wall: looking for masses
5. Upper abdomen: change windows to abdominal
   • Liver: can use liver window
   • Gall bladder:
   • Pancreas: 
   • Adrenal 
   • Kidney:
6. Bones: change windows to the bone windows. Look on all views.

Page Updated: 07.31.2017