upper lobe pulmonary venous diversion

Upper lobe pulmonary venous diversion (cephalisation) reflects elevation of left atrial pressure and can occur with pulmonary edema. It produces stag-antler's sign on a frontal chest x-ray.

The normal left atrial pressure is 5-10 mmHg. An elevation of left atrial pressure to 10-15 mmHg will result in cephalisation. Possible causes for cephalisation include :

• left heart failure (most common)
• mitral valve disease
• shunt

The comparison vessels should be equidistant from the hilar point.

Siehe auch:

• Lungenödem