Diagnostic Accuracy of Chest Radiographs in Detection of Lung Consolidation Taking CT Chest as Gold Standard
Keywords:
X-Ray, Computed Tomography (CT), Chest, Lung Consolidation, PneumoniaAbstract
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of chest X-rays in detecting lung consolidation, using CT chest as the gold standard.
METHODOLOGY
This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Radiology, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar/PGMI, from April to October 2023. A total of 204 patients aged 18 to 50 years with clinical suspicion of pneumonia were included in the study. Diagnostic outcomes of CXR were compared against those of CT chest. Non-probability consecutive sampling technique is used. The sample size has been calculated using a sensitivity and specificity sample size calculator.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 36.44 years ± 9.07. Gender distribution was equal, with 50% male and 50% female participants. Comparing both modalities, the sensitivity of CXR was 69.2% with a specificity of 57.7%, PPV of 75.4%, NPV of 50.0% and diagnostic accuracy of 65.2% was reported.
CONCLUSION
This study highlights the superior diagnostic accuracy of CT over chest X-ray in detecting lung consolidations, particularly in complex or ambiguous cases. While CXR remains a practical and widely accessible initial diagnostic tool, its lower sensitivity and specificity suggest a need for follow-up CT in cases where clinical uncertainty persists. Overall, a combined approach using both CXR and CT optimises diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ghazala Wahid, Mahrukh Abdullah, Syed Nauman Abdullah, Rabeea Ihtesham, Faryal Bashir, Humna Imdad
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