Chest x-ray: disability (summary)

This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists

Chest x-ray review is a key competency for medical students, junior doctors and other allied health professionals. Using A, B, C, D, E is a helpful and systematic method for chest x-ray review where D refers to disability and specifically fractures and dislocations.

Reference article

This is a summary article; we do not have a more in-depth reference article.

Summary

  • introduction
    • there are lots of bones on a chest x-ray
    • check for a fracture or other pathology, e.g. bone metastases
  • procedure
    • trace each of the ribs from posterior to anterior
    • check the clavicles
    • check the proximal humeri
    • check the scapula
    • look at each vertebral body
  • checklist
    • ribs for any evidence of fracture
    • ribs for a lucent or destructive lesion
    • shoulders (acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints)
    • clavicles
    • vertebral bodies (loss of height)
Medical student radiology curriculum