Computer-aided diagnosis in chest radiography: beyond nodules.

Chest radiographs are the most common exam in radiology. They are essential for the management of various diseases associated with high mortality and morbidity and display a wide range of findings, many of them subtle. In this survey we identify a number of areas beyond pulmonary nodules that could benefit from computer-aided detection and diagnosis (CAD) in chest radiography. These include interstitial infiltrates, catheter tip detection, size measurements, detection of pneumothorax and detection and quantification of emphysema. Recent work in these areas is surveyed, but we conclude that the amount of research devoted to these topics is modest. Reasons for the slow pace of CAD development in chest radiography beyond nodules are discussed.