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Lungs
Lungs are a pair of elastic and spongy organs that help the body breathe. They are present inside the rib cage in thoracic cavity of humans.
3,922 Questions
What are the main structural and functional units of the lungs?
Actually, the structure of the lunge is make up Visceral pleura, Parietal pleura, and Pleural cavity
What Pressure of the air inside the lungs?
This depends on exhalation or inhalation. If you are exhaling the pressure would be greater inside the lungs than the outside, but if you are inhaling, then the pressure would be greater on the outside than the inside.
What does blood carry to the lungs?
Blood carries carbon dioxide, oxygen and food to the lungs. Some have a misconception that blood ONLY carries carbon dioxide to the lungs, which is wrong. We do not use up a lot of oxygen from what we breathe in; we only use about 23.8% to carry out respiration.
What is the probability that smokers will get lung cancer compared to non-smokers?
You can't catch cancer from a smoker. But you can be at risk from inhaling the smoke that comes from the end of a burning cigarette. This is called second hand smoke. The longer you are exposed to the smoke, the higher your risk factor will be.
What is a lung perfusion scan?
A pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan involves two nuclear scan tests. These tests use inhaled and injected radioactive material (radioisotopes) to measure breathing (ventilation) and circulation (perfusion) in all areas of the lungs.
Alternative NamesV/Q scan; Ventilation/perfusion scan; Lung ventilation/perfusion scan
How the test is performedA pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan is actually two tests. These tests may be performed separately or together.
During the perfusion scan, a health care provider injects radioactive albumin into your vein. You are placed on a movable table that is under the arm of a scanner. The machine scans your lungs as blood flows through them to find the location of the radioactive particles.
During the ventilation scan, you breathe in radioactive gas through a mask while you are sitting or lying on a table under the scanner arm.
How to prepare for the testYou do not need to stop eating (fast), eat a special diet, or take any medications before the test.
A chest x-ray is usually done before or after a ventilation and perfusion scan.
You will sign a consent form and wear a hospital gown or comfortable clothing that does not have metal fasteners.
How the test will feelThe table may feel hard or cold. You may feel a sharp prick while the material is injected into the vein for the perfusion part of the scan.
The mask used during the ventilation scan may make you feel nervous about being in a small space (claustrophobia). You must lie still during the scan.
The radioisotopeinjection usually does not cause discomfort.
Why the test is performedThe ventilation scan is used to see how well air and blood flow moves through the lungs. The perfusion scan measures the blood supply through the lungs.
A ventilation and perfusion scan is most often done to detect a pulmonary embolus(blood clot in the lungs). It is also used to:
- Detect abnormal circulation (shunts) in the blood vessels of the lungs (pulmonary vessels)
- Test lung function in people with advanced pulmonary disease, such as COPD
The health care provider should take a ventilation and perfusion scan and then evaluate it with a chest x-ray. All parts of both lungs should take up the radioisotope evenly.
What abnormal results meanIf the lungs take up lower than normal amounts of radioisotope during a ventilation or perfusion scan, it may be due to:
- Airway obstruction
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pneumonia
- Narrowing of the pulmonary artery
- Pneumonitis
- Pulmonary embolus
- Reduced breathing and ventilation ability
Risks are about the same as for x-rays (radiation) and needle pricks.
No radiation is released from the scanner. Instead, it detects radiation and converts it into an image.
There is a small exposure to radiation from the radioisotope. The radioisotopes used during scans are short-lived. All of the radiation leaves the body in a few days. However, as with any radiation exposure, caution is advised for pregnant or breast-feeding women.
There is a slight risk for infection or bleeding at the site where the needle is inserted. The risk with perfusion scan is the same as with inserting an intravenous needle for any other purpose.
In rare cases, a person may develop an allergy to the radioisotope. This may include a serious anaphylactic reaction.
Special considerationsA pulmonary ventilation and perfusion scan may be a lower-risk alternative to pulmonary angiography for evaluating disorders of the lung blood supply.
This test may not provide an definite diagnosis, especially in people with lung disease. Other tests may be needed to confirm or rule out the findings of a pulmonary ventilation and perfusion scan.
ReferencesTapson VF. Pulmonary embolism. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 99.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 09/15/2010
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
What is the medical term meaning localized area of pus formation in the lungs?
Empyema means the collection of pus within a body cavity but when you are talking about the pleural cavity it is another word, pyothorax. Pyothorax is the correct term to use when you are talking about the accumulation of pus in the pleural cavity.
The term pleurisy (pleuritis) is inflammation or infection in the pleural space around the lungs.
Pyothorax also known as empyema of the pleural cavity is the presence of pus in the pleural cavity between the layers of the pleural membrane Py/o - Pus
What would happen if the lungs were full of mucus?
You need to find out what is causing the fluid build up. If it is due to congestive heart failure, there are medications that can help to strengthen the heart so it pumps properly, as the result of fluid build up can be life threatening. Pneumonia can be another cause for fluid in the lungs, this needs to be treated with antibiotics as to much fluid can weigh down the tiny hairs that are in your lungs. These hairs need to be able to flutter (move) if wet and weighed down they will not move and again a serious situation can be at hand. Bottom line...find out what is causing the fluid in your lungs, somethines we feel congested but that doesn't mean that we have fluid in our lungs, it's just congestion. I am not a doctor although I have worked for doctors and from that experience I make the statements above.
Is it possible to cough up a lung?
YES this happened to my roommate last weekend and it was really really scary. what happens is it won't fit up your esophagus but he started choking and when we went to the hospital his lung was lodged there. MAKE SURE to take preventive measures against this he didn't die but was really lucky
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yes it is very possable.
i coughed out human excriment the ther day
Where in the lungs does oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse across in the lungs?
since the air in lungs have more oxygen than the blood in the surrounding, the oxygen will be difused to the blood, similerly the quantity of carbon dioxide in the surrounding blood will be more compared to that in the lungs. so again difussion takes place, thus happens the exchange. no osmosis(the exchange of water from a place with a high concentration of water to a place with low concentration of water) but there is diffusion.
What prevents you from getting pit stains from SWEAT?
As far as i know, we can't prevent sweating (except when you are in an air-conditioned or cold places!). But don't worry, sweating is really great. It is an excretion of wastes in our body through our skin pores. :)
What is secondary lobule of lung?
The secondary pulmonary lobule is a unit of lung supplied by three to five terminal bronchioles and contained by fibrous septa. High-resolution CT is able to show features of the secondary lobule, including interlobular septa, terminal bronchioles, and pulmonary arteries within a bronchiolovascular bundle.
source:
C Bergin, V Roggli, C Coblentz, and C Chiles Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
What is the passageway from the larynx to lung?
the bronchus is one of the major passageways of the lungs that branches off of the trachea.
The average weight of a human lung is 420 grams (0.93 lbs or 15 oz) according to Wolfram|Alfa (see link below).
What is the smallest conducting passageways of the lungs are called?
bronchioles
Here's the tree - (from throat to bottom of lung)(biggest to smallest)
Trachea
primary bonchus
secondary bronchus
tertiary bronchus
bronchiole
alveolar duct
alveoli
What is another name for the lungs?
Lungs are also called lights, especially when they are sold for food.
