This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists
Chest x-ray lines and tubes can be easily assessed and should be the first thing that you look at when reviewing a chest x-ray. Assessment of their position is important, but they also give you an idea about how sick the patient is and narrow down the differential diagnosis.
Reference article
This is a summary article; we have a more in-depth reference article, see medical devices in the thorax.
Summary
- always check lines and tubes first
- cardiac monitor wires e.g. electrocardiogram (ECG) wires attached to ECG stickers on the chest
- oxygen tubing
- often draped across the center of the x-ray
- oxygen mask/nebuliser
- may be projected over the top of the x-ray
- nasogastric (NG) tube
- endotracheal tube (ETT) tube
- venous lines, e.g. internal jugular vein (IJV) line, peripherally-inserted central catheter (PICC)
- cardiac devices, e.g. pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- intercostal catheters