English

Abstract

Acute rheumatic fever and its sequelae, Rheumatic Heart Disease continues to be a major health problem in our country. Lack of specific criteria had lead to diagnostic chaos until the Jones Criteria in 1944. Despite Jones criteria and four revision and modifications Acute rheumatic fever is often under diagnosed. Modern facility like radiography and ECHO is not included in Jones criteria. Chest radiograph is an important part of the evaluation of patients with disease. Medical and Surgical treatment of mitral valve disease is particularly successful early in the course of the disease; therefore detection at initial presentation is of considerable importance. Characteristic changes in cardiac contour, are helpful in confirming the radiographic diagnosis in affected patients. The pulmonary parenchymal manifestations are the result of either pulmonary venous hypertension in mitral stenosis or abnormal regurgitation into pulmonary veins in mitral insufficiency. In this study we discuss and illustrate the imaging appearances of a variety of cardiac and pulmonary parenchymal manifestations of Rheumatic Heart Disease including selective chamber enlargement, pulmonary venous cephalization, pulmonary edema, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, haemosiderosis and ossification. Familiarity with the gamut's of cardiac and pulmonary findings in patients with rheumatic heart disease, is crucial for early and rapid diagnosis and optimal patient care;