The chest radiograph in heart disease

Conventional chest radiography remains an important imaging tool for patients with suspected cardiac disease and is usually the first-line imaging investigation performed in both the acute hospital setting and in patients referred from the community. Accurate interpretation allows the diagnosis of structural cardiac abnormalities and of associated abnormalities of the pulmonary vasculature and airways. As picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are now widely available throughout Europe and the USA, more doctors will have access to images and therefore need to improve their interpretation skills. This chapter provides a basic introduction to the interpretation of a normal chest radiograph and a more detailed look at its use in cardiac disease.