Can the chest radiograph enable prediction of cardiac status in patients with acute diagnosis

This paper investigates whether the chest radiograph can predict a patient's cardiac status, we examined the relationship of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and cardiac index to radiographic findings. A total of 846 ICU patients underwent chest radiography, usually within 30 minutes of Swan-Ganz catheterization. Measured PCWP and cardiac index were correlated with multiple radiographic parameters. Interobserver variation was also statistically analyzed. Significant correlations (P < .005) with PCWP were found for cardiac width (r = 344), cardiothoracic ratio (r = .324), carinal angle (r = .218), hilar width (r = .197), azygous size (r = .143), and vascular pedicle width (r = .126). Significant correlations were found between cardiac index and cardiac width (r = -.155), cardiothoracic ratio (r = - .196), and carinal angle (r = - .153)