The Role of Chest Radiography in Lung Cancer

Chest radiography is one of the most commonly performed imaging tests, and benefits include accessibility, speed, cost, and relatively low radiation exposure. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States and is responsible for the most cancer deaths. Knowledge of the role of chest radiography in assessing patients with lung cancer is important. This article discusses radiographic manifestations of lung cancer, the utility of chest radiography in lung cancer management, as well as the limitations of chest radiography and when computed tomography (CT) is indicated.