Pneumomediastinography

Abstract

Pneumomediastinography (gaseous mediastinography) - a method of X-ray examination of the mediastinum, contrasted by the introduction of gas. Air, oxygen or other gas are injected into the mediastinum by puncture. After that, the patient is placed in such a position that the gas accumulated mainly in the mediastinum to be examined and 2-3 hours doing radiographs in different projections, and if necessary tomography (cm.) Methods of introducing gas into the mediastinum different. Decided to divide them into direct and indirect. The most effective direct methods are characterized by direct injection of gas into the tissue of the mediastinum. Pneumomediastinography - a valuable method for diagnosis of tumors and cysts of the mediastinum. Pneumomediastinography is used to detect enlarged lymph nodes and other pathological entities, to clarify, there grows into the mediastinum lung cancer. When contrast study of the esophagus pneumomediastinography allows you to explore the state of the outer and inner walls. Pneumomediastinography is performed at the hospital examination of the patient, as in the two days after the study it should be under medical supervision. Mediastinal organs, is approximately the same delaying x-rays, portrayed as an almost homogeneous median shadow on the background of which is very difficult, and in many cases impossible to detect abnormal formation. Pneumomediastinography, contributing to the dismemberment of the middle shade into its constituent parts, can significantly improve the diagnosis of diseases of the mediastinum. Pneumomediastinography is demonstrated only in those cases where conventional X-ray examination did not reveal pathological formation of which is calculated on the basis of clinical symptoms. It is also used to refine the shape, size and syntopy formations found during fluoroscopy and radiography. Contraindication to pneumomediastinography are inflammatory tissue mediastinal compression syndrome, febrile state, decompensated heart defects. The absence of gas in a particular department of the mediastinum may be due to adhesions and other phenomena. In particularly difficult cases, it is advisable to combine with pneumomediastinography tomography, cymograph, electrochemography, cinematography, angiocardiography and others. Pneumomediastinography is a safe procedure provided the technique is carried out with proper precautions against gas embolism. The transtracheal and retrosternal methods of Condorelli4 have been performed on 110 patients without morbidity. The method has been employed for the investigation of the thymus, the parathyroid glands, mediastinal lymphadenopathy and the thyroid gland. The possibility of using the method to assess operability of bronchial carcinoma is discussed.