Is chest sonography a breakthrough in diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism in children?

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A Modified Sonographic Algorithm for Image Acquisition in Life-Threatening Emergencies in the Critically Ill Newborn
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A Modified Sonographic Algorithm for Image Acquisition in Life-Threatening Emergencies in the Critically Ill Newborn

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Mateusz Kosiak1, Anna Korbus-Kosiak, Wojciech Kosiak

  • 1Department of Pediatric & Adolescent Nephrology & Hypertension, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. mateuszkosiak@poczta.fm

Pediatric Pulmonology
|November 15, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Chest ultrasound (CUS) is useful for diagnosing pediatric pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). This bedside imaging technique aids in identifying PTE in critically ill children and newborns, offering a valuable alternative when CT is not feasible.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Pulmonology

Background:

  • Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) diagnosis in children is challenging.
  • Limited data exists on the diagnostic value of chest ultrasound (CUS) in pediatric PTE.
  • Established sonographic criteria for PTE are primarily based on adult studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the usefulness of chest ultrasound (CUS) in diagnosing pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in pediatric patients.
  • To present findings from CUS in children with suspected PTE.
  • To highlight CUS as a potential primary imaging modality in specific pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of chest ultrasound (CUS) examinations in six pediatric patients.
  • Inclusion of three teenagers and three newborns with congenital heart disease.
  • Bedside emergency ultrasound performed using a GE Logic 500 with a linear probe (8.2-11.0 MHz).
  • Comparison of sonographic findings with CT results in teenage patients.

Main Results:

  • Chest ultrasound (CUS) suggested PTE in all six pediatric cases.
  • Sonographic findings included bilateral, peripheral, subpleural, hypoechoic, triangular, and oval lesions with pleural effusion.
  • PTE was confirmed by CT in all three teenage patients.

Conclusions:

  • Bedside chest ultrasound (CUS) is valuable for diagnosing PTE in high-risk pediatric patients, especially those in critical condition.
  • CUS should be considered the initial imaging test for PTE in critically ill newborns.
  • Further multicenter studies are needed to establish the diagnostic value of CUS for pediatric PTE.
Abstract

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