Lung ultrasound in neonatal intensive care unit, an alternative to the chest X Ray

Abstract

Introduction. Chest X-ray (CXR) has been for decades the most practiced diagnostic tool in respiratory pathology, an available and sometimes life-saving investigation, but we must admit that it has also long-term risks. X-rays can destroy living tissues, affecting DNA and producing genetic mutations Objective. Reducing the exposure of the newborn to ionizing radiation. Material and method. We have analyzed the diagnostic correlation between CXR and lung ultrasound (LUS) for newborns with respiratory pathology admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Emergency University Hospital Bucharest. They required a chest X-ray, and we correlated the ultrasound appearance with the radiological one. Results. Acknowledging the normal appearance of LUS, multiple neonatal pathologies can be identified and monitored by pulmonary ultrasound, avoiding chest X-ray. Conclusions. Lung ultrasound proved to be a very useful tool, always handy, easy to perform, reproducible, provides the image promptly, and is immediately integrated clinically into the medical thinking at the patient’s bedside, therefore it should become standard of care.