Examination of breath sounds may reveal bilateral rales however in many cases, rales may not be present despite widespread involvement. This is due to intubation and being on mechanical ventilation. Decrease in breath sounds unilaterally may indicate a pneumothorax or a wrongly …show more content…
The techniques include chest radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and electrical impedance tomography.21 This paper will only evaluate the chest radiography. X-ray finding of this disorder is vary widely depending on the stage of the disease. The most x-ray findings are bilateral, predominantly peripheral, consolidation with air bronchograms.21 In the earl phase of the disease the chest x-ray includes normal or diffuse alveolar opacities (consolidation) that are often bilateral and which obscure the pulmonary vascular markings.8-10,21 Later phase, these opacities progress to more extensive consolidation that is diffuse and they are often asymmetrical.4-10,21 Effusions and septal lines are not usually seen on chest x-ray of patients affected by ARDS, although these findings are commonly seen in patients with congestive heart failure. As many studies have been showing chest x-ray finding tend to stabilize; however if further chest radiographic worsening occurs after 5-to-7 days, another disease process should be considered. Chest x-ray of ARDS patients should show diffusing, bilateral, alveolar infiltrates without