Diagnostic Role of Chest Ultrasound in Children Presenting With Respiratory Distress in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Compared to Chest X-ray

Overview

The use of POCUS in pediatrics is gaining momentum, and whilst pediatric specific data remains limited when compared to adult critical care, there is growing pediatric evidence demonstrating the high sensitivity and specificity of lung POCUS in the diagnosis of pneumonia, bronchiolitis, pleural effusion and pneumothorax. the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement cautions that "clinicians should be aware that point of care ultrasonography is better used as a rule in and not a rule out diagnostic modality".

In recent years, the use of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS), understood as the bedside ultrasound examination of the patient by the physician in charge, has been increasing in paediatric patients for the investigation of pulmonary, pleural and diaphragmatic disease, following its use in adult patients, in whom the technique has been developing for more than a decade, and whose ultrasound semiotics can be safely extrapolated to the paediatric age group. The unossified costal cartilage and sternum and thinner adipose subcutaneous tissue in children provide ideal acoustic windows. This study aims to compare the use of bedside lung US to portable chest X-ray regarding sensitivity, specificity, safety and accuracy in identifying the etiology of respiratory distress among children admitted to the PICU.

Conditions

Interventions