Cardiac disease in pregnancy chest x ray

Indications

 * Dyspnea
 * Cough

Precautions
The preferable estimated fetal exposure from ionizing radiation should be kept below 50 mGy and with chest x-ray, the exposed radiation is <0.01 mGy. Although the theoretical risk of irradiation to the fetus is low, the pelvic area should be shielded if chest x-ray is performed and the radiation dose should be documented in the medical record.

Chest X-Ray Findings
Routine chest x-ray is avoided, especially in the first trimester.

Chest x-ray in normal pregnancy may reveal physiologic changes such as increased left ventricular dimension and cardiomegaly, which in the absence of dyspnea is secondary to the elevation of diaphragm and should be interpreted with caution.

Among patients with dyspnea, chest x-ray in done to identify the presence of heart failure, which may show cardiomegaly, Kerley B lines, pleural effusion and cephalization of blood vessels.