Annual chest X-rays
Chest X-rays in asymptomatic people are a poor test, because they aren’t particularly sensitive or specific, says Dr. Susan Besser, primary care physician specializing in family medicine at Mercy Personal Physicians in the Baltimore area. “Additionally, the test itself has risks, specifically, radiation exposure, so it isn’t a benign test,” she says. “Even for smokers, this is not a good screening test.” Chest X-rays should be offered if the patient has heart or lung symptoms, Besser says.
