| Condition | Context | |-----------|---------| | | Most common cause. Look also for cardiomegaly, pleural effusions, and vascular redistribution. | | Lymphangitic carcinomatosis | Often unilateral or asymmetric; caused by metastatic tumor spread along lymphatics (e.g., breast, lung, stomach cancers). | | Interstitial lung disease | Sarcoidosis, asbestosis, or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (though these usually present with more reticular changes). | | Pneumonia (viral/atypical) | Can cause transient septal thickening, usually with other parenchymal findings. | | Renal failure/fluid overload | May present with interstitial edema without primary heart disease. |
Next time you review a CXR of a dyspneic patient, look closely at the lung bases. Those tiny horizontal lines could tell the whole story. kerley b lines on cxr
The presence of Kerley B lines on a CXR suggests: | Condition | Context | |-----------|---------| | |