Physician experience with viewing digital radiographs in an intensive care unit environment.

After several years of continuous operation, the utility of digital viewing stations as assessed by bedside clinicians has been investigated through the distribution of questionnaires to past and present users. The results of the questionnaire have indicated that the bedside physicians prefer using the workstations over handling film. For evaluation of line placements, chest tubes, and pleural effusions, the physicians prefer softcopy display over hardcopy. However, for analysis of air space disease and diagnosis of pneumothorax, images displayed on the workstation were not believed to be as useful as standard hardcopy.