Grids and high kilo-volt-peak-setting in bedside chest radiographic examinations.

Bedside chest radiographic examinations in intensive care units with grids are impaired by artefacts caused by angulation of the grid (grid cut-off). Two different grids--a grid with a high strip density of 70 lines per cm and the "InSight portable imaging system"--were examined in an intensive care unit with respect to their susceptibility to angulation, image quality and handling of the grid. Five radiologists compared 50 radiographs of each grid considering ten image quality criteria. Using the "InSight portable imaging system" major artefacts were undetectable even at an angulation of 10%; no adjustment of the grid was required, which reduced the amount of time needed to take the radiograph by 26%. The increase in dosage demanded by the employment of the grids at low kilovolt peak setting could be partially compensated by the use of high kilovolt peak setting. The image quality of the "InSight portable imaging system" together with a high kilovolt peak setting is satisfactory, and due to its simplified handling, the portable imaging system has proved to be suitable for bedside chest radiography in intensive care.