Tc. Chang et al., ARE ROUTINE CHEST RADIOGRAPHS NECESSARY AFTER IMAGE-GUIDED PLACEMENT OF INTERNAL JUGULAR CENTRAL VENOUS ACCESS DEVICES, American journal of roentgenology, 170(2), 1998, pp. 335-337
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine the value and co
st of obtaining routine chest radiographs after image-guided placement
of internal jugular central venous catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS.
We reviewed the records of 424 patients in whom 572 internal jugular c
atheters were placed by sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance over a 2
-year period, Inspiratory and expiratory chest radiographs obtained im
mediately after each procedure were also reviewed. RESULTS. Routine po
stprocedural chest radiographs revealed no complications and did not a
lter the treatment of any patient. Delayed pneumothorax was detected a
fter placement of two catheters (0.5%) when patient symptoms prompted
additional radiographs. CONCLUSION. Immediate postprocedural chest rad
iographs are not routinely needed after image-guided insertion of inte
rnal jugular central venous catheters and unnecessarily add to the cos
t of patient care.