[The place of thoracic plain film in the assessment of left heart insufficiency].

The chest radiographs of 24 patients with chronic left heart failure (mean duration of cardiac disease 4.3 years) were compared with the haemodynamic findings. Before the initiation of intensive medical treatment haemodynamic parameters were measured invasively and followed up for a period of up to 16 months. The heart size and roentgenographic patterns of pulmonary congestion showed a weak negative correlation with both the ejection fraction and the cardiac index. During therapy changes of cardiopulmonary haemodynamics did not correlate with alterations of the radiographic findings. Therefore chest radiographs are not useful in the assessment of the therapeutic success in long-existing left heart failure; nevertheless, they are indicated to identify secondary pulmonary disease.