The film on the left was taken after the patient had been treated for
congestive heart failure. The film on the right shows cephalization of flow, increased
flow to the apices of the lung as a result of increased pulmonary venous
pressure. The prominence of these veins is due to the higher pressure in them.
They stand out because there is more blood in them, the pressure is higher, and
there may also be some edema surrounding them. When the patient is treated and
the pulmonary venous pressure is reduced toward normal, these changes either
diminish or (as in this case) disappear.
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