• M Assenza, A Antonaci, P Carnuccio, A Carnuccio, F Consorti, A M Errera, and M Di Paola.
• Istituto IV Clinica Chirurgica, Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Roma.
• G Chir. 1999 Apr 1;20(4):149-53.

AbstractThrough the three years between June 1995 and June 1998 the authors applied an evaluation schedule for the respiratory surgical risk to all the patients undergoing general surgery. Chest X-ray was included in this schedule as a first-level test and it was performed systematically on all the patients. The purpose of the study was to verify the effectiveness of chest X-ray as a routine examination of the respiratory performance, evaluating its predictive value on 1715 cases. The routine employment of this preoperative test on patients resulting risk-free at an accurate clinical anamnestic examination doesn't seem to be justified, basing on the preliminary results achieved. Therefore, chest X-ray should be considered a second-level test, to be performed on the basis of a precise clinical query only. This way a significant health-care cost reduction could be achieved, without affecting the quality of patient's management.

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