Cardiothoracic radiology deals with imaging of the lungs, airways, pleura, chest wall, heart and great vessels. Cough, breathlessness, chest pain and fever are among the symptoms that lead to chest imaging.

Patients seeking a CT scan in Mumbai for lung or chest problems at Apex usually start with a chest X-ray, which detects pneumonia, fluid, collapsed lung and heart enlargement. CT shows far greater detail. It can find small lung nodules, interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis, blood clots in the lung arteries and chest tumours. In cardiac imaging, CT and MRI show coronary arteries, heart muscle and structural problems.

Doctors compare new scans with earlier ones whenever possible, because change over time is often more informative than a single image.

Cardiothoracic radiology services include:

• Chest X-ray: A fast, low-dose image for cough, fever, breathlessness and chest pain, also used to follow pneumonia, fluid collections and the position of tubes and lines.
• CT of the Chest: Detailed lung and mediastinal images for nodules, infection, tuberculosis changes, interstitial disease and tumours, with contrast when blood vessels or lymph nodes must be assessed.
• CT Pulmonary Angiography: A contrast scan that looks for blood clots in the lung arteries in people with sudden breathlessness or chest pain.
• Cardiac CT and MRI: Imaging of coronary arteries, heart muscle, valves and congenital abnormalities, supporting the cardiology team in planning treatment.