Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
The radiological diagnosis of pneumonia in children
Kerry-Ann F O'Grady1, Paul J Torzillo2,3, Kieran Frawley4
116Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Level 4, Foundation Building, Herston, Queensland Australia.
Insights
Diagnosing pediatric pneumonia lacks a definitive standard. Radiology, including chest X-rays, is useful but has limitations, especially in distinguishing infection types and in routine clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Paediatric pneumonia is a significant global cause of child morbidity and mortality.
- Current diagnostic methods, including clinical, microbiological, and radiological approaches, have variable utility and limitations.
- A definitive gold standard for diagnosing pediatric pneumonia is still lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role and limitations of radiology in diagnosing paediatric pneumonia.
- To evaluate the utility of various radiological modalities in different clinical settings.
- To identify knowledge gaps and future research needs in radiological pneumonia diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on radiological diagnosis of paediatric pneumonia.
- Analysis of the application and limitations of chest radiography (CXR), computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Discussion of diagnostic challenges in various healthcare settings.
Main Results:
- Chest radiographs (CXRs) are widely used but not indicated for ambulatory settings and cannot differentiate viral from bacterial infections.
- Standardized CXR definitions for epidemiological studies are not directly applicable to clinical practice.
- Advanced imaging like CT, ultrasonography, and MRI are valuable for complicated pneumonias but not for routine diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Radiology plays a role in paediatric pneumonia diagnosis, particularly in complicated cases, but limitations exist for routine use.
- Further large-scale, population-based studies are required to address knowledge gaps in radiological diagnosis.
- The feasibility of conducting such extensive studies remains a significant barrier.
Abstract:
Despite the importance of paediatric pneumonia as a cause of short and long-term morbidity and mortality worldwide, a reliable gold standard for its diagnosis remains elusive. The utility of clinical, microbiological and radiological diagnostic approaches varies widely within and between populations and is heavily dependent on the expertise and resources available in various settings. Here we review the role of radiology in the diagnosis of paediatric pneumonia. Chest radiographs (CXRs) are the most widely employed test, however, they are not indicated in ambulatory settings, cannot distinguish between viral and bacterial infections and have a limited role in the ongoing management of disease. A standardised definition of alveolar pneumonia on a CXR exists for epidemiological studies targeting bacterial pneumonias but it should not be extrapolated to clinical settings. Radiography, computed tomography and to a lesser extent ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging play an important role in complicated pneumonias but there are limitations that preclude their use as routine diagnostic tools. Large population-based studies are needed in different populations to address many of the knowledge gaps in the radiological diagnosis of pneumonia in children, however, the feasibility of such studies is an important barrier.
More Related Videos
08:05Lung CT Segmentation to Identify Consolidations and Ground Glass Areas for Quantitative Assesment of SARS-CoV Pneumonia
Published on: December 19, 2020
05:50International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
Published on: March 12, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:30Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment
01:30Radiological Investigation II: MRI and Ventilation Perfusion Scan
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ventilation Perfusion Scans are two radiological investigations that offer detailed diagnostic images of the body, particularly lung structures.
MRI
MRI uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency signals to distinguish between normal and abnormal tissues. This technology provides a more detailed diagnostic image than CT scans, enabling it to characterize pulmonary nodules, stage bronchogenic carcinoma, and evaluate inflammatory activity in...
01:13Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan
Pulmonary Angiogram
A Pulmonary Angiogram is an invasive procedure involving injecting a contrast medium through a catheter threaded into the pulmonary artery or the right side of the heart to visualize the pulmonary vasculature. Computed Tomography (CT) scans have mainly replaced this...
01:30Radiological Investigation I: X-ray and CT
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
01:26Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...