Thoracic radiographic appearance during lung inflation in neonatal calves

The effect of lung inflation on thoracic radiographic anatomy was determined in seven anesthetized calves less than one week of age. Radiographs were taken with the calves in dorsoventral (DV), ventrodorsal (VD), left and right lateral recumbency at functional residual capacity (FRC), at half inflation of the lung and at total lung capacity (TLC). Lung volumes were maintained by positive pressure ventilation. Increases in areas and linear dimensions during lung inflation were not uniform, being greatest in the caudal and especially the caudal ventral regions of the thorax. With inflation, heart size decreased and the heart shadow moved caudad as the diaphragm flattened. When the calf was shifted from the DV to the VD position, the heart displaced toward the left thoracic wall. Lung areas were larger on VD than on DV projections with the right lung being larger than the left. On lateral radiographs the most reliable, easily observed indication of the stage of lung inflation was the area bounded by the vena cava, the caudal heart border and the diaphragm. On the DV or VD radiographs the transthoracic width at the diaphragm was the best indicator of the degree of lung inflation.