Page 199 - Clinical Pearls in Cardiology
P. 199
Radiology 187
elevated pulmonary pressures. Kerley B lines may be
observed in severe mitral stenosis.
• Calcification of the mitral valve may be observed in
some cases.
Fig. 6: X-ray in mitral stenosis
10. What is the importance of measuring the right
descending pulmonary artery on a chest X-ray?
The right descending pulmonary artery or RDPA is visible
on all chest X-rays as a large descending vessel just to
the right of the right heart border. Its diameter can be
measured at about the level of the indentation between
the ascending aorta and the right atrium. In normal
people, the RDPA is less than 17 mm in diameter. In
