Suboptimal Chest Radiography and Artificial Intelligence: The Problem and the Solution

Chest radiographs (CXR) are the most performed imaging tests and rank high among the radiographic exams with suboptimal quality and high rejection rates. Suboptimal CXRs can cause delays in patient care and pitfalls in radiographic interpretation, given their ubiquitous use in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic ailments. Suboptimal CXRs can also compound and lead to high inter-radiologist variations in CXR interpretation. While advances in radiography with transitions to computerized and digital radiography have reduced the prevalence of suboptimal exams, the problem persists. Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in the radiographic acquisition, triage, and interpretation of CXRs, could offer a plausible solution for suboptimal CXRs. We review the literature on suboptimal CXRs and the potential use of AI to help reduce the prevalence of suboptimal CXRs.