News - Experts say ordinary X-ray check predicts avian flu survival

Ordinary chest x-rays, showing distinctive disease patterns of avian flu in humans, are good predictors of patient survival, experts reported on Friday.

According to a study presented in Chicago at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, patients with more severe x-ray appearances would benefit from aggressive treatment earlier, giving them a better chance of survival.

X-rays show distinctive disease patterns of avian flu, including fluid in the space surrounding the lungs, cavities in the lung tissue and enlarged lymph nodes, said a research team of the University of Oxford in England.

The severity of these patterns is a good predictor of patient mortality. Moreover, identifying avian flu disease patterns will help physicians with more aggressive treatment planning to improve a patient's chance of survival, they said.

Xinhua - English