The chest radiograph in whooping cough

The chest radiographs of 238 patients admitted to hospital with acute whooping cough are reviewed. Radiographic abnormalities were detected in 63 (26%) patients; pulmonary consolidation was seen in 50 (21%) patients, collapse in nine (4%) and lymphadenopathy in 22 (9%). The most common type of consolidation was peribronchial (72%). Both collapse and consolidation were commoner on the right and tended to involve the lower and middle lobes. These abnormalities were more common in those aged 1 year old or more (p less than 0.001) but no other clinical feature was found to predict those patients with an abnormal chest radiograph. Follow-up radiographs demonstrated no significant radiographic sequelae. Comparison with previous series shows a reduced frequency and change in the pattern of radiological abnormalities over the last 20 years.