Comparison of CT localization radiography and high-kilovoltage chest radiography

Twenty-five patients had localization radiography before chest computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of pulmonary nodules, staging of lung carcinoma, or suspected metastatic disease. Evaluation of the localization radiograph and the 140 k Vp frontal chest radiograph were performed independently and without history by a CT and chest radiologist, respectively. These interpretations were compared to a reference standard compiled from the full CT and chest radiographic reports. Significant abnormalities in the soft tissues, bones, mediastinum, hila, and pleura were detected with about equal frequency by chest and localization radiography. Chest radiography detected all 16 of the lung nodules greater than 1 cm in diameter, while localization radiography detected 12; however, this was not statistically significant. Both the sensitivity and specificity of nodule detection by chest radiography exceeded that of localization radiography. The performance of localization radiography in the detection of chest abnormalities in this and other studies encourages further development of computed chest radiography.