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International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
05:50

International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure

Published on: March 12, 2020

Ultrasound of the pediatric chest

Andrew Mong1, Monica Epelman, Kassa Darge

  • 1Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. mong@email.chop.edu

Pediatric Radiology
|April 25, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Ultrasound (US) offers a safe, non-ionizing radiation alternative for evaluating pediatric chest conditions. It excels in assessing superficial issues, diaphragm movement, thymus, and pleural effusions, also aiding in evaluating mediastinal masses and lung disease.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Diagnostic Ultrasound

Background:

  • Traditional pediatric chest imaging relies on CT and radiography, involving ionizing radiation.
  • There is a need for safer imaging modalities in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss and illustrate the utility of ultrasound (US) as a non-ionizing radiation alternative for pediatric chest evaluation.
  • To highlight US as a primary and secondary imaging tool in pediatric thoracic diagnostics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature and clinical applications of pediatric chest ultrasound.
  • Illustrative examples of US findings in various pediatric chest conditions.

Main Results:

  • Ultrasound is effective for evaluating superficial chest wall lesions, diaphragmatic motion, thymus, and pleural effusions.
  • US serves as a valuable secondary tool for assessing mediastinal masses and pulmonary parenchymal disease.

Conclusions:

  • Ultrasound is a versatile and safe imaging modality for the pediatric chest.
  • US can be utilized as a first-line or adjunctive tool, reducing the need for ionizing radiation in pediatric patients.

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