[X-ray diagnosis of chronic traumatic lesions of the diaphragm]

The authors analyze the clinical and x-ray findings in 24 patients with chronic traumatic injuries of the diaphragm. The clinical findings did not hint at a chronic traumatic injury of the diaphragm. The x-ray method was the principal in the diagnosis of the condition. A correct methodologic approach to the examination of a patient helped detect a chronic injury to the diaphragm virtually in all the cases and the type of the injury could be recognized by routine x-ray methods. Indications for the use of invasive methods of examinations were defined: pneumoperitoneum and bronchography. Computer-aided tomography failed to simplify the diagnosis of the condition in question, and in 10% of cases it was hardly informative. A scheme for staged x-ray examination of the patients has been developed with due consideration for the possible roentgeno-semiotic variants.