[Conventional roentgen diagnosis in traumatology]

The efficacy and efficiency of 5874 diagnostic X-rays at the Department of Traumatology, University Clinics of Frankfurt, West-Germany, were reviewed. Efficiency of the method was extremely high with false results in only 0.00017%. The efficacy of the diagnostic traumatologic X-ray procedures could be markedly increased with a more critical approach in indications and the avoidance of routine diagnostic X-rays mainly of the skull. This study shows an optional reduction of traumatologic X-rays of 16% and a concomitant reduction in costs of 17.2%.