Interpreting the chest radiograph

A methodical system for looking at every chest radiograph is suggested. Readers are encouraged to decide whether an opacity on a chest radiograph is due to pleural, alveolar or interstitial pathology and then to consider the cause. Lung and pleural masses are considered and contrasted and the features of asbestos exposure listed. Special consideration is given to the problems of interpretation of the chest radiograph in the intensive care unit (ITU), and the various appearances of lines and tubes are outlined.