Did I Miss That: Subtle and Commonly Missed Findings on Chest Radiographs

This article reviews examples of easily missed, subtle, or ambiguous lesions on chest radiography. Anecdotally, reliance on cross-sectional imaging has diminished radiologists׳ comfort level with chest radiograph interpretation. However, plain film chest radiography remains a valuable tool in diagnostic imaging. It is noninvasive, inexpensive, easily obtained, and diagnostic for many common conditions with the benefit of a very low radiation dose. It is one of the most commonly ordered radiographic examinations; therefore, proficiency in chest radiograph interpretation remains an essential tool in our diagnostic armamentarium. Certain anatomical regions on chest radiographs are particularly prone to perceptual errors. These are often referred to as “blind spots” and have been emphasized as we demonstrate methods that can be applied to search patterns to improve detection of abnormalities.