Chest X-ray in acute heart failure

Abstract

This chapter discusses the consequences of chest x-ray of acute left heart failure due to left ventricular failure or mitral valve disease. Valuable interpretation of a chest x-ray in such conditions requires knowledge of the normal appearance of a chest x-ray and the technical parameters that may change it to avoid misinterpretation. A better understanding of the images also requires some knowledge of the physiopathology of pulmonary edema. © 2008 Springer-Verlag London.