Interpretation and clinical use of chest radiographs

Abstract

Although chest X-ray (CXR) is a well-studied classic diagnostic tool, this easy-to-obtain, readily accessible imaging modality is still capable of giving physicians new information on patient conditions in an efficient manner. This chapter provides intensivists, cardiologists, cardiology fellows, and medical students with concise information on recent data on CXR imaging and interpretation and briefly reviews the most common medical conditions in which CXR is useful. It includes a brief review of a multistep approach to the evaluation of the quality of chest radiographs and the systematic description of imaged structures. This chapter covers water retention, air collection, and lung-related problems, gives information on monitoring of line and device placements (central venous catheters, tubes, pacemaker lead positions, etc.), and also focuses on the pitfalls of image interpretation in intensive care unit settings. In addition, the chapter reviews recent data on accuracy of other imaging modalities, in terms of describing certain abnormalities, as compared with regular chest radiographs.