Dual-energy subtraction chest radiography: what to look for beyond calcified nodules.

Dual-energy subtraction chest radiography is a robust and powerful tool that improves the ability to detect and accurately diagnose a wide variety of thoracic abnormalities on posteroanterior-lateral chest images. Dual-energy subtraction chest radiography has many advantages over conventional chest radiography that facilitate image interpretation. The major advantage of this imaging technique is that it more clearly depicts calcification, which greatly aids in characterizing pulmonary nodules.

Anatomic pitfalls of the heart and pericardium.

Recent technologic advances have led to more frequent dedicated cross-sectional imaging of the heart. Faster scanning techniques, cardiac gating, and advanced postprocessing software allow improved visualization of finer anatomic details of the heart and pericardium compared with older techniques and software. Use of thin-section computed tomography (CT) or image reformatting in nonaxial planes may be helpful in some cases.