Table 4

Management changes resulting from chest radiographs (CXRs)

Medical patients

Surgical patients

< 48 hours

≥ 48 hours

Routine

Non-routine

Routine

Non-routine

(n = 103)

(n = 24)

(n = 26)

(n = 4)

CXR that changed management (n) (% total)

127 (20%)

12 (15%)^†

30 (24%)

Total number of management changes^*

107

27

13

29

6

Adjustment/insertion of medical device

62 (58%)

15 (56%)

5 (38%)

12 (41%)

1 (17%)

Ventilator setting changes

1 (1%)

0

0

0

0

Antibiotic treatment

3 (3%)

4 (15%)

0

0

0

Treatment of congestive heart failure

8 (8%)

1 (4%)

4 (31%)

8 (28%)

1 (17%)

Thoracentesis

7 (6%)

1 (4%)

0

3 (10%)

1 (17%)

Bronchoscopy

11 (10%)

3 (11%)

0

0

1 (17%)

Other

15 (14%)

3 (11%)

4 (31%)

6 (21%)

2 (33%)

Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding. ^* Some CXRs resulted in more than one management change. ^† Only routine CXRs changed management.

Chahine-Malus et al. Critical Care 2001 5:271   doi:10.1186/cc1045