OBSERVED LUNG MARKINGS IN NORMAL CHEST ROENTGENOGRAMS

The digital chest posterioranterior roentgenograms of 42 healthy indiv iduals were ranked twice (interval of at least 5 days) in the order of increasing lung parenchymal markings. The evaluations were made by th ree radiologists, two residents, a medical student and a radiographer. All observers regardless of their radiological experience showed good intraobserver correlations between their two subsequent rankings (p < 0.05-0.001). The interobserver agreement on rankings was generally po or, even if the radiologists were considered. Radiologic training seem ed to eliminate the influence of false leading factors (the object's r espiration and body constitution). ''The golden standard of evaluation '' (= the added-up rankings by the radiologists) did not correlate eit her with the patient's ages (19-54 years) or smoking habits (0-45 pack -years, mean 4.2).