ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to specify the importance of chest radiography during pre-employment check-ups in the tropical environment. A cross-sectional study of chest X-rays of 2540 apparently healthy job applicants in seven private companies in Abidjan; Cote d'Ivoire; was carried out over a 5-year period. The chest X-rays were performed in posterior-anterior; frontal; standing position. Two senior radiologists performed a double-blind study in search of parietal; mediastinal; and pleuroparenchy-matous abnormalities. The 2540 subjects were all males with ages ranging between 20 and 36 years. In 93of the cases (2372 job applicants) the frontal chest X-ray was normal but 168 (7) presented abnormal images. The observed lesions were dominated by cardiomegaly (102 cases) followed by pulmonary parenchymatous lesions (35 cases); and by pleural liquid effusions (10 cases). The parenchymatous abnormalities were represented by 35 evolutional lesions in the form of 12 apical parenchymatous infiltrates; 7 excavated apical pneumopathies; and 16 non-excavated condensations. The 10 cases of pleural abnormality were encysted pleuritis. Frontal chest radiology can be useful in pre-employment check-ups in the tropical environment by helping to screen for contagious pulmonary lesions that may be undetected at a clinical examination
Subject(s)
Breeding , Cardiovascular System , Disease , Employment , Occupational Groups , Radiography , Tropical ClimateABSTRACT
A partir d' une etude prospective realisee sur une periode de 3 mois nous rapportons les resultats de la radiographie thoracique systematique dans le cadre d'un bilan d'embauche dans une societe de transport en commun. Les principales anomalies retrouvees sont representees par la cardiomegalie; les lesions parenchymateuses et pleurale. Notre etude se propose de preciser l'interet medical de la radiographie thoracique systematique dans le bilan d'embauche en milieu tropical