Pre-Operative Value of X-Ray Chest in Patients Undergoing Elective General Surgeries

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: Imaging evaluation of patients undergoing general surgeries is routinely done pre-operatively. The indications of radiographic evaluation are only for acute nature of complication. However, sometimes all elective and acute general surgery patients undergo a chest x-ray. Unnecessary exposure of radiation is a significant health threat.

Objective: This study aimed to assess role of pre-operative chest radiographs in patients undergoing general surgeries.

Material and Methods: This retrospective analysis was conducted at the department of Radiology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad spanned over a period of 15 months from October 2021 to January 2023. A total of 7850 adult patients were included. Record of patients coming for x-ray chest from other departments than the general surgery was excluded. Administrative permission was taken from head of department and a verbal consent was taken from patients/caregivers before x-ray. All x-ray films were reported by a senior radiologist. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS-22.

Results: The mean age was 45.8 ± 11.6 years with a male predominance with 4632 (59.1%). There were 528 (6.7%) cases with positive findings while the remaining 7322 (93.2%) were negative. It was noted that 273 (3.59%) had apical plural thickening, while 105 (1.31%) had right upper lobe fibrosis. Other frequent findings were left upper lob fibrosis 32 (0.41%), blunting of right CP angle 31 (0.40%), blunting of left CP angle 62 (0.79%).

Conclusion: The study found out that more than 90.0% of chest-rays were normal and a very few 7.2% were found abnormal.