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Plain chest radiograph in hypertensive patients — An analysis of cases seen in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria
NR Njeze1, SO Ike2, IU Abah3, EC Ejim2, MA Nzegwu4
1 Department of Radiation Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
2 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
3 Department of Radiation Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria
4 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
N R Njeze
Department of Radiation Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4314/jcm.v20i1.5
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Aim: To analyze the chest findings in patients clinically diagnosed with hypertension at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who had plain chest radiographs at the UNTH, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria between 2009 and 2011.
Results: Of the 500 patients studied, 60.2% (301/500) were females and 39.8% (199/500) were males. There were 9.8% (49/500) patients with normal chest findings while 90.2% (451/500) had diverse chest findings which included: cardiomegaly 69% (345/500)), aortomegaly 51% (255/500), artheromatous plaque 6.6% (33/500)), upper lobe blood vessel diversion 11% (55/500), and perivascular cuffing 5% (25/500). The remaining 0.8% (4/500) had unrelated chest findings.
Conclusion: Simple chest radiograph interpreted by a competent radiologist is a very useful ancillary diagnostic tool in the detection and management of hypertension.
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