[Differential diagnosis and follow-up of pulmonary disorders by bedside thoracic imaging of intensive care patients].

In this study chest radiographs of 105 patients from an intensive care unit are reviewed to investigate the value in differential diagnosis and control of the course of pulmonary dysfunction. The most helpful criterion in differential diagnosis was the time course of the visible infiltrate on the chest film. Contusion of the lung and aspiration pneumonia showed a steady decrease after an initial maximum, pneumonia and ARDS developed within several days to a maximal infiltration. A rise in extravascular lung water presents with various quickly changing patterns. Pleural effusion, appearance and localisation of the infiltrate are of less value in differential diagnosis. The connection to clinical and anamnestic features is important. There was a good correlation between time course of the radiological visible infiltrate and the intensity of artificial respiration.