The Roentgenologic Differentiation of Lesions of the Right and Left Heart

IN the development of the roentgen examination of the heart, the accurate determination of the size of the organ has been chiefly considered. The differentiation of the normal from the abnormal heart by the increase in transverse diameter, surface area, or volume, as demonstrated in the teleoroentgenogram, or orthodiagram, has been well established. Much less attention has been given to the increases in size, which may take place in individual chambers. While changes in the shape of the heart shadow have been widely used to determine the exact nature of the defect which is present, these have been chiefly studied in the postero-anterior projection. Lateral views which might demonstrate enlargement of the posterior chambers of the heart, the left atrium, and left ventricle, have been less emphasized, chiefly, no doubt, because of the difficulty in interpretation. Cardiac disease, with or without failure, may, for certain purposes, be classified in two broad groups: left heart lesions and right heart lesion...