Imaging is pivotal for the early detection, characterization, and management of ICU device-related complications. Chest radiography remains the first-line screening tool, but ultrasound and CT are crucial for clarifying ambiguous findings and guiding definitive treatment. The presented cases underscore the wide range of injuries—from minor to life-threatening—that can occur despite careful insertion techniques.

Timely identification optimizes patient outcomes by preventing further damage, allowing for immediate device repositioning or surgical intervention. A key challenge is the shortage of human capital, often limiting radiologists’ availability to interpret plain radiographs in Emergency and ICU settings. This examination requires a steep learning curve, and teaching it can compete with other imaging modalities during training. Radiologists must maintain a high index of suspicion whenever device placement is performed, carefully scrutinizing lines, tubes, and leads. Continuous collaboration between radiologists, intensivists, and surgeons is vital to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with iatrogenic device complications.