Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 6, 2025
Author Spotlight: Standardization and Best Practices for Advancing Lung Imaging Using 129Xe MRI
Published on: November 21, 2023
[Chest X-rays in children and adolescents : Indications and limitations]
Diane Miriam Renz1, Carolin Huisinga2, Alexander Pfeil3
1Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Arbeitsbereich Kinderradiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Deutschland. renz.diane@mh-hannover.de.
Insights
Chest X-rays are valuable for diagnosing pediatric lung conditions like inflammation and foreign body aspiration, despite limitations. Continuous technical advances reduce radiation exposure, but alternatives like MRI and ultrasound should be considered.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Chest X-ray is the most frequent imaging examination in children and adolescents.
- Its benefits and limitations in pediatric care require thorough understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the advantages of chest X-ray in pediatric patients.
- To discuss the limitations of chest X-ray in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of chest X-ray examinations in newborns and older children.
- Focus on diagnosing inflammatory pulmonary changes, foreign body aspiration, pulmonary nodules, and cystic fibrosis.
- Consideration of radiation exposure reduction and alternative imaging modalities.
Main Results:
- Most chest X-rays are performed in newborns.
- Chest X-ray plays a role in diagnosing various pediatric pulmonary conditions.
- Radiation exposure is decreasing due to technological advancements.
Conclusions:
- Chest X-ray remains highly valuable in children and adolescents due to its accessibility and ease of use.
- While diagnostic performance may be less than CT or MRI, its practical utility is significant.
- Alternatives like MRI and ultrasound should be considered for specific clinical indications.
Clinical Issue:
Chest X‑ray is the most commonly performed X‑ray examination in children and adolescents. The aim of this review is to present the benefit of this radiologic modality, but also its limitations.
Methods:
Compared with older children, most X‑ray examinations of the chest were performed in newborns. After the neonatal period, this review focusses on the diagnosis of inflammatory pulmonary changes, foreign body aspiration, detection of pulmonary nodules, and cystic fibrosis.
Methodological Innovations:
The radiation exposure of X‑ray examinations is continuously decreasing due to technical innovations. However, other imaging modalities were also continuously being optimized; therefore, alternatives without radiation exposure, i.e., magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and ultrasound, should be considered in case of specific clinical indications.
Practical Recommendation:
Even if the diagnostic performance of chest X‑ray examinations is often minor compared to computed tomography or MRI, chest X‑ray still has a high value in children and adolescents, due to its ubiquitous availability and the relatively simple acquisition.
Related Concept Videos
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...
01:30Radiological Investigation I: X-ray and CT
01:24X-ray Imaging
01:27Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
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...