[Mass chest x-ray of at-risk probands]

In the GDR annually repeated indiscriminate mass miniature radiographies (MMR) of all persons in the age of 16 years and over were performed during 3 decades. The aim was, beside finding cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, the early detection of bronchogenic carcinoma. The decrease of tuberculosis incidence and the shift of nearly all new cases to higher age groups lead to a change of this policy. The new regulation, in force since 1986, provides mass X-ray examinations of all persons in the age of 40 years and over with 2 years interval, and X-ray examinations of the lung of persons in several risk groups with shorter, mainly annual intervals. The latter became a task of the chest clinics. The experience of 2 chest clinics with the organization of these examinations and the yield of new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchogenic carcinoma are reported. It is necessary to improve the organization and to reduce the number of risk-groups to those with an acceptable balance of input and result. Otherwise, the staff of the chest clinics is impeded to fulfill more rewarding tasks in the care of patients. The results of the attempts of early detection of bronchogenic carcinoma and improvement of life expectancy by X-ray examination of risk groups and early resection were disappointing. Thus, other ways must be found. A revision of the regulation of 1986, concerning risk groups, is proposed with the aim to rationalize their surveillance.