[Optimization of the thoracic radiograph. Experimental and clinical study on the use of various film/screen combinations using rare earths].

The optimization of chest radiography is a still unresolved problem, as it must answer to various clinical requirements. Even if sometimes the choice is not difficult, it becomes hard when the best film-screen combination is needed. In order to assess the optimization image quality and exposition, different experimental and clinical conditions have been investigated referring to the various combination of screen, film and tension. The Trimax system has been chosen for our investigations, performed in two different phases: the former on an anthropomorphous chest phantom, the latter on 25 patients affected by lung interstitial diseases, mainly nodular. The results are discussed.