Body Part - Chest
PICC
Stands for Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter. It is often inserted to draw blood or give IV medications. It can be used multiple times over several days.
PLEURA
A thin plastic wrap-like material that covers the outside of the lungs (visceral pleura) and the inside of the chest cavity (parietal pleura).
PLEURAL EFFUSION
Fluid in the chest (pleural) cavity, surrounding the lungs. Sometimes, this can compress the lung next to it.
PNEUMATOCELE
An “air bubble” in the lung that can form after pneumonia or trauma. This looks similar to a bulla, but the cause is different.
PNEUMOMEDIASTINUM
Air in the mediastinum. This can be caused by a number of things including asthma, tear in the airways (trachea or bronchi) and tear of the esophagus.
PNEUMOTHORAX
An “air leak” in the lungs.
PORTABLE CHEST X-RAY
Chest x-ray that is taken with a portable x-ray machine. It is usually performed on sicker patients who cannot be moved to the x-ray room for a standard x-ray.
POSTERIOR RIB
This is confusing terminology. A rib wraps around the chest on each side. It starts from the back and goes to the front of the chest. Posterior rib refers to the back part of the rib. The anterior rib, lateral rib and posterior rib are not separate structures. They are different parts of the same rib.
PROJECTS
Verb. It basically means that something “shows up” (in a certain location). It is used when something looks like it may be within the lung on a chest x-ray, but the radiologist is not completely sure. A chest x-ray report may say something like, “A 10 millimeter nodule projects over the right lung base.” The 10 millimeter nodule may represent a small lung cancer. Alternatively, the 10 millimeter nodule may not be in the lung at all! It may represent a mole on the skin of the right lower chest or a right nipple shadow. Additional studies may be needed to find the right answer.
PRONE
Lying on your stomach.
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