Should We Abstain from Routine Use of Radiologic Imaging in Fitness to Dive Assessments? A call for action.
This article calls for a critical reevaluation of routine radiologic imaging, particularly chest X-rays (CXR) and chest computed tomography (CT), in fitness-to-dive assessments for occupational, military, and commercial divers. While these assessments aim to prevent diving incidents by identifying medical risks, the frequent inclusion of radiologic imaging for asymptomatic divers raises concerns due to limited sensitivity and specificity, incidental findings, and potential disqualification without clear evidence of increased diving-related risk. The authors advocate for a community-driven consensus to establish evidence-based guidelines and address the necessity of routine imaging in this context.
Authors
- Thijs T. Wingelaar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7740-7392)
- Peter Lindholm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0840-9244)
Institutions
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Geriant (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PubMed
- Published
- 2025-08-26
- Primary Topic
- Radiology practices and education
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00