title: Use of lung ultrasound in detection of complications of respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: Repeated chest radiography is required for the diagnosis and follow-up of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and carries the risk of radiation hazards. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a non-invasive bedside diagnostic tool that has proven to be effective in the diagnosis of RDS. Our aim was to assess the role of LUS with respect to the standard chest X-ray (CXR) in the detection of complications of RDS in neonates. Ninety premature newborns of both genders with RDS (mean gestational age = 29.91 ± 1.33 wk) and 40 premature babies as a control group were involved in this study. All patients underwent initial clinical assessment as well as CXR and LUS. Those who presented with respiratory distress and/or exhibited deterioration of oxygenation parameters were followed by CXR and, within 4 h, by LUS. Alveolo-interstitial syndrome and pleural line abnormalities were detected in all cases (100%) in the initial assessment, patchy consolidation was detected in 34 cases and white lung was detected in 80 cases. Alveolo-interstitial syndrome was detected in 19 controls. In follow-up of the patients, LUS was superior to CXR in detection of consolidation and sub-pleural atelectasis, but not in detection of pneumothorax. We concluded that bedside LUS is a good non-hazardous alternative tool in the early detection and follow-up of RDS in the neonatal intensive care unit; it could be of value in reducing exposure to unnecessary radiation.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: happy7_kd@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Happy K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Sawires
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Abdel Ghany
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nouran F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hadeel M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Seif
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Chest X-ray; Lung ultrasonography; Premature newborns; Respiratory distress syndrome