Value of routine chest radiography in the medical screening of internationally adopted children.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of the routine chest radiography as part of the medical evaluation of newly arrived, internationally adopted children.


METHODS
We evaluated the use of routine chest radiography (CXR) in the medical screening of 1598 internationally adopted children.


RESULTS
CXR showed abnormalities in 128 cases: 38 of these findings were already known and/or consistent with obvious clinical signs or symptoms, and 54 had no clinical relevance. In two patients, CXR raised the suspicion of tuberculosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The routine use of CXR in the screening of internationally adopted children rarely yields new, clinically relevant, information and should be performed on indication only.
Bakker
Jeannette
J
Department of Radiology, University Hospital Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. janet.bakker@freeler.nl
Horsthuis
Karin
K
Cobelens
Frederik G J
FG
Beek
Frank J A
FJ
Schulpen
Tom W J
TW
D000300:Adoption; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology