title: Magnetic resonance imaging is an accurate and reliable method to evaluate non-cystic fibrosis paediatric lung disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chest MRI is increasingly used to assess pulmonary diseases, but its utility compared with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has never been evaluated in children using specific performance outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and reliability of MRI compared with HRCT in children with non-cystic fibrosis (CF) chronic lung disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty subjects aged 5.9-20 years, with primary ciliary dyskinesia (n = 17), primary immunodeficiency (n = 17) or recurrent pneumonia (n = 16), underwent chest HRCT and MRI. The prevalence of lung abnormalities on HRCT was evaluated, and sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive and negative likelihood ratios for MRI versus HRCT were calculated. MRI and HRCT scans were also assessed using a modified Helbich score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bronchiectasis, mucous plugging, peribronchial wall thickening, consolidation, bullae, abscesses and emphysema were detected by HRCT in 72, 68, 66, 60, 10, 8 and 8% of subjects, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive and negative likelihood ratios for MRI were good or excellent for most of the changes that were assessed. Median total Helbich scores for HRCT and MRI were 10 (range 0-20) and 10 (range 0-18), respectively. There was good-to-excellent agreement between the two techniques for all scores (r ≥ 0.8). A Bland-Altman plot confirmed this agreement between total scores (bias value: 0.2 ± 1.18; 95% limits of agreement of mean difference: -2.12-2.52).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chest MRI was equivalent to HRCT to determine the extent of lung disease in children with non-CF lung disease. The findings support the use of chest MRI as an alternative to HRCT in diagnostic pathways for paediatric chronic lung disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maglione
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruzzese
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mollica
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pignata
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aloj
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mirra
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santamaria
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001768:Blister / Q000175:diagnosis; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007619:Kartagener Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000175:diagnosis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult