What does an elevated diaphragm mean in a chest X ray?
[1] Elevated hemidiaphragm occurs when one side of the diaphragm becomes weak from muscular disease or loss of innervation due to phrenic nerve injury. Patients may present with difficulty breathing, but more commonly elevated hemidiaphragm is found on imaging as an incidental finding, and patients are asymptomatic.
Why is my diaphragm elevated?
Temporary elevation of the diaphragm occurs in pneumonia, lung abscess, subphrenic abscess, liver abscess, diabetes, Banti’s disease, during digestion, and normally at full expiration.
What causes the diaphragm to be elevated on a chest X-ray?
Abnormalities pushing up against the diaphragm from below can also cause it to look elevated on a chest X-ray. The liver is positioned just below the diaphragm, so a mass of the liver or around it can cause the diaphragm to be elevated. On the left side, a big stomach filled with food or gas can cause the diaphragm to appear elevated.
What does it mean when your hemidiaphragm is elevated?
Elevated Hemidiaphragm is a condition where one portion of the diaphragm is higher than the other. Often elevated hemidiaphragm is asymptomatic and visualized as an incidental finding on radiologic studies like chest X-ray or chest CT (computed tomography).
Where is the right hemi diaphragm on a chest X-ray?
Consolidation of the lower lobes, therefore, obscures the crisp contour of the adjacent hemi-diaphragm. The right hemi-diaphragm usually lies at a level slightly above the left.
What should I look for in a chest X-ray?
Every time you check a chest X-ray you should make sure there is no free intra-abdominal air under the diaphragm (pneumoperitoneum). This is a sign of bowel perforation. The normal hemi-diaphragms form distinct dome-shaped contours against the adjacent lungs.
What causes an elevated diaphragm?
- Atrophy
- Paralysis
- Lack of development in certain muscle fibers
- Thoracic surgery
- Birth trauma
- Chest tumors
What are the symptoms of an elevated diaphragm?
Symptoms vary based on the disorder, but may include: Discomfort or difficulty breathing. Pain in the chest, shoulder or abdominal area. Hypoxemia (a lack of oxygen in the blood) Fewer breath sounds.
What is the treatment for elevated diaphragm?
Once a cause is identified, it can be treated, and in the process the elevated hemidiaphragm should be resolved as well. Treatment options can include surgery to drain cysts or remove tumors, chemotherapy to shrink cancers, and so forth.
What does an elevated diaphragm mean?
Elevated hemidiaphragm is a condition in which half of a patient’s diaphragm appears to be raised or elevated. It can be seen on a medical imaging study or upon surgical examination, and it is an indicator of a serious health problem.