Objectives: To study the prevalence of abnormalities in preoperative chest X-rays taken of patients undergoing elective surgery; to determine radiological abnormalities not expected based on the patient's case history and their influence on treatment; and to identify patients with high risk of presenting abnormal radiographs.
Patients and methods: This retrospective study included 2,146 consecutive patients entering the hospital over a period of one year for non-cardiopulmonary surgery requiring anesthesia. Two physicians reviewed the radiodiagnostic reports on routine preoperative chest X-rays requested by surgeons. The reviewers classified the results as normal, expected abnormal and unexpected abnormal based on concordance or not between the patient's case history and the radiologist's report.
Results: Of the original 2,146 patients, 160 (7.4%) were excluded from the study because of incomplete case histories and/or physical exams. X-rays were taken of 1,880 (94.6%) of the 1,986 patients remaining in the study. Abnormalities were found in 508 (27%), most often in men, patients over 45, those classified as ASA III-V and those with a history of cardiovascular or lung disease, or smokers of more than 20 cigarettes/day. In 254 (13.5%), the abnormalities were not expected based on the patient's history; the physician's attitude changed toward 11 of these (4.3%), 5 of whom had cancer. Unexpected abnormalities were detected in 2 patients (0.8%) during physical examination and the real index of unexpected attitude changes based on case history and physical examination was 9 (3.5%). A new treatment based on unexpected radiological abnormalities was chosen for only 2 (0.8%) patients. The prevalence of unexpected radiological abnormalities was higher in men, in those over 45 years old and in those classified as ASA III-V.
Conclusions: The prevalence of unexpected abnormalities in routine preoperative chest X-rays taken before non-cardiothoracic elective surgery is high, but the influence of their detection on patient management is minimal. The results of our study suggest that X-rays should be recommended for patients over 45; those with a history of cardiovascular or lung disease, or of cancer; smokers of more than 20 cigarettes/day; those classified as ASA III-V; and those with incomplete case histories or physical examinations.