CHEST

Chest x-ray remains a major tool for the diagnosis and management of many diseases ravaging mankind. The aim of this study is to assess the chest x-ray requests and findings in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo. A retrospective study of 1,624 patients who underwent chest x-ray examination at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo. The results showed that more females, (58%, n = 943) were referred for chest x-ray than the males, (42%, n = 681). The highest indication for chest x-rays in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital is Other, (47%, n = 762). Patients between the age bracket of (36– 50) have the highest referral for chest x-ray. Most of the chest x-ray referrals are from GPC (33% n = 542). More than half of the chest x-ray referrals (65.1%, n = ) appear radiologically normal while the remainder (34.9%, n = 174) were abnormal. The chest radiographs of 100% of those for medical exam/Routine check appeared radiologically normal. In conclusion, conventional chest x-ray remains the primary diagnostic tool for most diseases of the chest region. However appropriate clinical diagnosis should always be conducted to reduce the number of normal chest-x-rays diagnosed. Routine chest X-rays should be discouraged as they almost amount to unnecessary irradiation of patients with low diagnostic yield.