[Can digital selenium-based radiography in thoracic diagnosis replace the analog x-ray imaging technic?].
OBJECTIVE
To find out the diagnostic value of digital selenium radiography, we compared the image quality of chest x-ray images from 50 patients who had been examined via conventional chest x-ray and digital selenium radiography of the chest.


METHODS
50 patients with a malignant melanoma underwent chest x-ray within 3 months in conventional technique and with digital selenium radiography (Thoravision: Philips Medical Systems, Hamburg, Germany). In this period none of the patients showed a difference in respect of clinical status or radiological diagnosis. Simultaneous examinations on the same day were not performed to avoid unnecessary exposure to x-rays. The digital and conventional images were compared by 4 radiologists with regard to image quality by the detection of defined anatomic structures.


RESULTS
Image quality of digital selenium radiography was considered superior to that of conventional chest x-rays in the mediastinum, the retrocardiac and retrodiaphragmatic areas, the superior and inferior lobes of the lung especially near the parietal pleura, and the chest wall.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to analogous techniques there is no loss of image information when employing digital selenium radiography in chest x-rays. On the contrary, new assessment criteria may be gained. We conclude that digital selenium radiography offers diagnostic advantages in chest x-ray examination.
Zähringer
M
M
Institut und Poliklinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Universität zu Köln.
Krug
B
B
Dölken
W
W
Gossmann
A
A
Lackner
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012643:Selenium; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens
D012643:Selenium