Intensive Care Unit Chest Radiography: Pearls and Pitfalls

Abstract Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) may require advanced care with a wide variety of support lines, tubes, and devices. These patients have frequently undergone recent surgical intervention and are more prone to develop complications which the radiologist needs to recognize. The purpose of this article is to review various rare or unexpected pathologies and pitfalls which may be encountered when interpreting ICU chest radiographs as well as to provide relevant background information, important clinical history, and crucial imaging characteristics.