Thoracic CT

Alternative names:

chest CT; CT scan of the chest; CT scan of the lungs

Normal values:

No abnormalities of organ size and position. No abnormal growths or fluid collections.

What abnormal results mean:

Thoracic CT may show many disorders of the heart, lungs, or chest area, including:

• enlarged lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)
• abnormalities of the structure or position of the heart, lungs, or blood vessels
• bronchiectasis
• tumors, nodules, or cysts within the chest
• the stage of some lung tumors or esophageal cancer
• aortic aneurysm (thoracic)
• pleural effusion
• pneumonia
• accumulations of blood or fluid

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• alcoholic cardiomyopathy
• asbestosis
• atrial myxoma; left
• atrial myxoma; right
• cardiac tamponade
• coarctation of the aorta
• dilated cardiomyopathy
• echinococcus
• heart failure
• histoplasmosis
• hypertensive heart disease
• idiopathic cardiomyopathy
• infective endocarditis
• ischemic cardiomyopathy
• left-sided heart failure
• mesothelioma (malignant)
• metastatic cancer to the lung
• mitral regurgitation; acute
• mitral regurgitation; chronic
• mitral valve prolapse
• pericarditis; bacterial
• pericarditis; constrictive
• pericarditis; post-MI
• peripartum cardiomyopathy
• pulmonary edema
• restrictive cardiomyopathy
• senile cardiac amyloid
• SVC obstruction