Abstract

Outline
The British Thoracic Society (BTS) recommends six-week follow-up chest x-rays (CXRs) for certain patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The focus of this audit is to assess the cancer detection rate in our Pleural/Pneumonia Clinic by auditing follow-up CXRs performed over a full year.

Aim and Objectives
Cancer detected in pleural/pneumonia clinic by auditing follow up chest x-ray performed over period of 1 year.

Methodology
Data of all patients who attended pleural/pneumonia clinic in the time span of one year with follow up chest x-ray after being managed for community acquired pneumonia was collected retrospectively. This audit did not require patient participation.

Results
Six patients out of the 137 patients who has follow-up chest x-ray, after treatment of community acquired pneumonia were found to have malignancy. Nine patients (6%) are still under surveillance for the suspicion of malignancy. In total 15 patients that is 11 percent had diagnosis other than CAP on follow up X-ray .All patients identified as patients with cancer were male.4 out of the 6 patients identified with cancer belonged to the age-group of 50-85 .

Take Home Message
The above findings highlight the importance of follow up Chest X-ray for patients being managed for CAP. Many of radiological presentations of lung malignancy can initially be confused with that of pneumonia. Also patients belonging to the elderly age group must be ensured with a follow up chest x-ray due to increased incidence of malignancy.