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The optimisation of the field of irradiation is the aim of the radiotherapist. Pet-Scan provides information revealing a better cartography of node involvement and allowing a better delineation of the tumour zone. In the follow-up of irradiated patients, PET-Scan provides information on the nature of residual lesions and a possible recurrence.
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Chest radiography is essential to evaluate the placement and position of tubes and lines in patients treated in intensive care units, such as central venous and arterial catheters, endotracheal and nasogastric tubes, thorax drains, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators. Radiologic findings with respect to normal positioning, wrong positioning, and complications are described and illustrated.
OBJECTIVES: To establish a protocol for ordering chest x-ray films for screening before elective surgery. To study the prevalence of anomalies detected in routinely-ordered chest x-rays, their influence on management of anesthesia and surgery and on the prevention of perioperative complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study of 413 patients undergoing elective surgery over a period of two years. Anomalies detected in chest films were classified as significant or not significant and then as expected or unexpected in function of agreement between the patient's medical history and the image. RESULTS: A preoperative chest x-ray was obtained for 99.5% of the patients and anomalies were detected in 28.1%, of which 49.1% were significant. The prevalence of anomalies was higher among men over 60 years of age, smokers, those with cardiac or respiratory disease, and those who were classified ASA III-IV. In 6.9% of the cases, the anomalous findings were unexpected based on the patient's history. Findings led to preoperative changes in management in 0.5% of the cases; no delays or cancellations occurred. The frequencies of intraoperative and postoperative complications were 7.9% and 24.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative chest x-ray should be ordered only for patients over 60 years of age, smokers of 10 cigarettes/day or more, those with heart or respiratory disease, those who have had contact with tuberculosis and who have not had any other chest x-ray taken within the past year.
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A chest X-ray has been routinely used to evaluate possible complications of a catheter installed for hemodialysis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the utility of routine chest X-ray to detect complications derived from the installation of temporary catheters through a jugular vein access. We studied prospectively 95 successive jugular catheters for hemodialysis. After installation the operator answered a questionnaire that asked for details of the procedure and his opinion of the utility of a chest X-ray to detect a complication in each particular case. A chest X-ray was done in every patient and analyzed blindly. There were 17 minor complications: 7 arterial punctures, 5 neck hamatomas and 5 malpositions of catheters. No major complications were found. Sixty per cent of the catheters that required three or more punctures had a complication vs only 10% of the ones that required two or less puncture (p < 0.05). In five occasions the catheters were malpositioned, in four of these cases a complication was suspected. The wire guide was twisted in all of these cases. The procedure was considered of medium or high difficulty in four of the five malpositioned catheters, in contrast a medium or highly difficult case was considered only in 13 of the 90 well positioned catheters (p < 0.05). The time employed for the catheters installation was significantly higher for the malpositioned catheters. In 29.5% of the cases the operator considered a chest X-ray necessary, 2/3 of the cases did not have a well founded clinical suspicion of complication. We conclude that routine chest X-ray after installation of a jugular catheter for hemodialysis has a low diagnostic value for the detection of complications derived from the procedure and should be ordered only when clinical features suggest a complication.
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We reviewed the chest radiographs and clinical data of 30 patients in an intensive care unit with legionellosis diagnosed by significant serological findings (n = 18), microscopic demonstration of the organism in the transtracheal aspirate (n = 5) or both (n = 7) and investigated the correlation between the identification of Legionella and signs of pulmonary infection. In 13 patients legionnaires' disease was diagnosed with a high degree of confidence. Typical radiographic findings included distal air space disease, which initially appeared to be unilateral, progressing towards bilateral infiltrates. Patchy infiltration at the onset of disease was followed by consolidation. Small pleural effusions were common, while no abscess formation was observed. Characteristically, infiltration persisted for weeks even with clinical convalescence. These radiological findings correspond well with observations in otherwise healthy patients with legionnaire's disease. In 10 patients the etiology of pulmonary infiltrates could not be identified. Seven patients did not develop radiological or clinical signs of pneumonia; therefore, the serological/microscopic detection of Legionella was not interpreted as legionnaires' disease. According to the results of our investigation the diagnosis of legionnaires' disease requires radiological findings in addition to laboratory data.
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