Routine chest x-ray films in a Veterans Hospital

The routine chest x-ray films of 113 patients admitted to two general medicine wards at a Veterans Administration hospital were analyzed to determine the value of this examination in screening for new chest abnormalities. The admission chest x-ray films of 52 patients (46%) revealed abnormal findings. The prevalence of abnormality was much greater than in other recently reported series. This study suggests that obtaining routine admission chest x-ray films continues to be necessary for hospitals with a high prevalence of intrathoracic disease, such as those hospitals serving veterans.