Table 3

Incidence of new expected and new unexpected predefined major abnormalities in 2,457 daily routine chest radiographs

Abnormalities
Expected abnormalitiesa
Unexpected abnormalitiesa



Abnormalities expected by the ICU physician
Abnormalities found by the radiologist
Unexpected abnormalities found by the radiologist
Abnormalities resulting in a change in therapy

Large atelectasis
4 (0.2%)
0
24 (1.0%)
-
Large infiltrates
7 (0.3%)
2 (0.08%)
23 (0.9%)
12 (0.5%)
'Severe' pulmonary congestion
5 (0.2%)
1 (0.04%)
29 (1.2%)
-
'Severe' pleural effusion
3 (0.1%)
0
13 (0.5%)
5 (0.2%)
Pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum
2 (0.08%)
0
14 (0.6%)
5 (0.2%)
Malposition of oropharyngeal tube
1 (0.04%)
0
32 (1.3%)
19 (0.8%)
Malposition of intravenous lines
0
0
12 (0.5%)
9 (0.4%)
Malposition of intra-aortic balloon pump
0
0
1 (0.04%)
1 (0.04%)
Malposition of gastric tube
0
0
5 (0.2%)
3 (0.1%)
Malposition of drains
0
0
1 (0.04%)
1 (0.04%)
Total number of abnormalities
22
3
154
55
Total number of chest radiographs with abnormalities
19 (0.8%)
3 (0.1%)
142 (5.8%)
53 (2.2%)
Total number of patients with chest radiographs with abnormalitiesb
20 (2.7%)
3 (0.4%)
108 (14.3%)
48 (6.4%)

Predefined major abnormalities are summarized in Table 1. aAbsolute number of chest radiographs (% of all daily routine chest radiographs). bAbsolute number of patients (% of all patients with daily routine chest radiographs). -, not scored for; ICU, intensive care unit.

Graat et al. Critical Care 2006 10:R11   doi:10.1186/cc3955