evaluation of the relationship between chest radiography findings and pulmonary artery pressure during right heart catheterization

Background: pulmonary artery hypertension is difficult to diagnose because of its nonspecific symptoms. although echocardiography and more accurately catheterization can recognize pulmonary artery pressure, chest x-ray is widely used because of its availability. objectives: this study was to evaluate the accuracy of chest radiography parameters for the estimation of pulmonary artery pressure. methods: this cross-sectional study included 81 subjects with a definite diagnosis of pulmonary artery hypertension. mean pulmonary artery pressure (mpap) was determined by catheterization. hilar enlargement, projection of the right heart border (prhb), hilar enlargement + prhb, and the ratio of these parameters to the thoracic diameter were compared to mpap to evaluate correlations. results: the average mpap was 74.7±21 (ranging from 28 to 120 mmhg). spearman’s test revealed that mpap had a significant correlation with a hilar enlargement (r=0.489, p<0.001), hilar/thoracic ratio (r=0.482, p<0.001), hilar enlargement + prhb (r= 0.517, p<0.001), and hilar + prhb/thoracic ratio (r=463, p<0.001). conclusion: hilar enlargement and hilar/thoracic ratio on the chest radiography are proper parameters for the estimation of pulmonary artery pressure.