Bedside Chest X‑Rays: Indications in ICU, ED, OR & More

When Portable Chest X‑Ray Is Performed at the Bedside

• ICU: Critically ill, unstable, on ventilators, multiple lines/tubes – transport risky.
• Emergency Department: Trauma, respiratory distress, suspected pneumothorax – rapid imaging.
• Operating Room: Verify line/tube placement (central line, chest tube), guide procedures.
• Labor & Delivery: Assess fetal position, maternal cardiopulmonary status.
• General Ward/Clinic: Patients with limited mobility, isolation precautions, or unable to travel to radiology.

Portable machines trade some image quality for immediacy and safety in fragile patients.