Attending Physician Alta Bates Summit Medical Center San Francisco, California
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Disclosure(s):
Mitchell Zekhtser, DO FAAEM: No financial relationships to disclose
CT imaging of the chest has become an indispensable tool in the emergency department, offering rapid, detailed insights that can change the trajectory of patient care. Yet, emergency physicians are often required to interpret these scans in real time—sometimes before the radiology read is available.
In this high-yield, case-based session, we’ll walk through real-time chest CT images and develop a structured approach to identifying life-threatening thoracic pathology. We’ll revisit the basics—what Hounsfield units actually represent and how understanding them sharpens our ability to distinguish between fluid, air, soft tissue, and calcification. We’ll also explore the concept of windowing—how adjusting lung and mediastinal windows can drastically alter what we see, and ultimately, how we manage our patients.
By the end of this talk, you'll be better equipped to recognize critical findings on chest CT and take decisive action—sometimes even before radiology weighs in.
Learning Objectives:
After this session, the learner will have a systematic approach to reading and ordering chest CT scans
After this session, the learner will be able to understand RV strain and recognize this on imaging for RV failure and pulmonary embolisms
After this session, the learner will be able to detect other emergent and common pathologies on CT scan
