Question

radiographic pathology for technologists

Chapter 3: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Read the following case study and answer the questions that follow: Mr. and Mrs. Smith take their baby boy for his 1 year checkup. They are told that he is below average for both height and weight for his age. The parents are not surprised because he has suffered from recurrent chronic cough, which sometimes produces vomiting more days than not in his young life. The Smiths point out to the physician that their baby has a very round chest and his fingers don't seem to be growing right. 1. Using baby Smith's signs and symptoms, what disorder do you suspect this child may have? 2. What is the general cause of this disease? 3. How is the disease diagnosed? 4. What might a chest radiograph reveal?!

Answer 1

1. Smith's baby may be suffering from Cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis suspected because baby having the following signs and symptoms which resembles cystic fibrosis.

• Delayed growth and development
• Chronic cough
• Cough associated with vomiting
• Round chest

2.Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic disorder.

Main cause of the cystic fibrosis is inheritance of defective "Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) " gene.

This gene is responsible for salt and water movement.

3. Disease cane be diagnosed using various test.

Single test is not enough to confirm the disease.

• Sputum test: reveals thick sputum with infection
• X- ray: Round chest with thickened sputum accumulation
• CT scan

4.

Chest radiograph reveals

• Lobar atelectasis
• Hyper inflation
• Cyst formation
• Scarring pulmonary enlargement makes the chest round