page_title: Heart failure
section_title: Chest X-ray
hierarchical_section_title: Heart failure / Diagnosis / Chest X-ray
caption_attribution_description: English: edit Chest radiograph of an 83 year old man with previous coronary artery bypass surgery and multiple percutaneous coronary interventions, now presenting with labored breathing. It shows distinct Kerley B lines, as well as an enlarged heart, somewhat dilated pulmonary blood vessels and minor pleural effusion as seen for example in the right horizontal fissure. Yet, there is no obvious lung edema. Overall, this indicated intermediate severity (stage II) congestive heart failure.
context_page_description: Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure and congestive cardiac failure, is when the heart is unable to pump sufficiently to maintain blood flow to meet the body's needs. Signs and symptoms of heart failure commonly include shortness of breath, excessive tiredness, and leg swelling. The shortness of breath is usually worse with exercise or while lying down, and may wake the person at night. A limited ability to exercise is also a common feature. Chest pain, including angina, does not typically occur due to heart failure.
  Common causes of heart failure include coronary artery disease, including a previous myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, excess alcohol use, infection, and cardiomyopathy of an unknown cause. These cause heart failure by changing either the structure or the function of the heart. The two types of left ventricular heart failure – heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction – are based on whether the ability of the left ventricle to contract, or to relax, is affected.
context_section_description: Chest X-rays are frequently used to aid in the diagnosis of CHF. In a person who is compensated, this may show cardiomegaly (visible enlargement of the heart), quantified as the cardiothoracic ratio (proportion of the heart size to the chest). In left ventricular failure, there may be evidence of vascular redistribution ("upper lobe blood diversion" or "cephalization"), Kerley lines, cuffing of the areas around the bronchi, and interstitial edema. Ultrasound of the lung may also be able to detect Kerley lines.
caption: Chest radiograph of a lung with distinct Kerley B lines, as well as an enlarged heart (as shown by an increased cardiothoracic ratio, cephalization of pulmonary veins, and minor pleural effusion as seen for example in the right horizontal fissure. Yet, there is no obvious lung edema. Overall, this indicates intermediate severity (stage II) heart failure.
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