The significance of routine chest X-ray in acute stroke

We retrospectively evaluated the significance of making a chest X-ray in the acute stage of a stroke. Forty percent of the chest X-rays were of suboptimal quality. Abnormal chest X-rays were, in part, the reason for consultation of chest specialists in 5%. A chest X-ray in patients with acute stroke should only be performed if there is clinical suspicion of pulmonary or cardiac pathology, not as a routine.