Cardio-thoracic imaging and COVID-19 in the pediatric population: A narrative review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appears less symptomatic in children globally.
• Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a recognized severe complication linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Chest imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosing and managing pediatric respiratory illnesses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of multimodality chest imaging findings in pediatric patients with suspected COVID-19.
• To highlight key differences in imaging presentation between pediatric and adult COVID-19 cases.
• To aid clinicians in the accurate interpretation of chest imaging in children with COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on pediatric COVID-19 chest imaging.
• Analysis of multimodality imaging techniques including radiography, CT, and ultrasound.
• Comparison of imaging findings in pediatric versus adult populations.

Main Results:

• Pediatric COVID-19 chest imaging often shows subtle or atypical findings compared to adults.
• Common findings in children include ground-glass opacities and consolidation, but often less extensive.
• Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children may present with distinct imaging features, such as pleural effusions or cardiomegaly.

Conclusions:

• Multimodality chest imaging is essential for evaluating pediatric patients with suspected COVID-19.
• Recognizing age-specific imaging patterns is critical for accurate diagnosis and management.
• Understanding the differences between pediatric and adult COVID-19 imaging can improve patient care and outcomes.