Pediatrics: Chest Flashcards
How can you tell if a neonatal chest is hyper inflated or not?
Count the ribs:
More than 6 anterior or 8 posterior ribs above the diaphragm is too many (hyperinflated)
Note: Also look for flattening of the diaphragm or increased lucency under the heart.
What is the best way to identify a pleural effusion on a neonatal chest radiograph?
Look for thickening of the minor fissure, then confirm by scrutinizing the costophrenic angle
Hyperinflation and perihilar streaks on a neonatal chest radiograph…
Think MNoP
- Meconium
- Non-group B strep neonatal pneumonia
- asPiration
Diffuse granular opacities with normal/decreased lung volumes on a neonatal chest radiograph…
- Surfactant deficiency disease
- Group B strep neonatal pneumonia
Hyperinflation with ropy appearance of asymmetric lung densities in a term infant…
Think meconium aspiration
Meconium aspiration is more common in…
Term or post-term infants
What should you look for if you’re suspecting meconium aspiration…
Pneumothorax (present in 20-40% of cases)
Classic findings of meconium aspiration
- Asymmetric rope-like pulmonary hyper densities
- Hyperinflation
- Pneumothorax (20-40% of cases)
Note: Usually in a term or post-term infant.
Meconium aspiration is usually associated with under inflation/hyperinflation
Hyperinflation (due to ball-valve effect from obstructing aspirated meconium)
Newborn with history of cesarean deliver with respiratory distress and bilateral coarse interstitial markings and fluid in the fissures that resolve by day 3 of life…
Transient tachypnea of the newborn
Risk factors for transient tachypnea of the newborn
- Cesarean section
- Maternal sedation
- Maternal diabetes
What is the time course of transient tachypnea of the newborn?
Peaks at day 1 of life and resolved by day 3
What is the most common cause of death in premature infants?
Surfactant deficiency disease (AKA respiratory distress syndrome)
Premature infant with respiratory distress and low lung volumes with bilateral granular opacities on radiography…
Think surfactant-deficiency disease
How can you differentiate surfactant-deficiency disease from group-B hemolytic neonatal pneumonia…
Surfactant-deficiency disease will not cause pleural effusions (which are common in group-B hemolytic neonatal pneumonia)
True or false: A normal plain film at 6 hours of life excludes surfactant-deficiency disease
True
Central bleb-like lucencies in an infant being treated for surfactant-deficiency disease…
Normal treatment response
Note: Do not confuse this with pulmonary interstitial emphysema.
Infants being treated for surfactant-deficiency disease are at an increased risk for…
- Pulmonary hemorrhage
- Patent ductus arteriosus
What is the most common type of pneumonia in newborns?
Group-B beta-hemolytic strep pneumonia (acquired during vaginal birth)
Bilateral granular opacities with low lung volumes in a newborn…
- Surfactant-deficiency disease (if premature)
- Group-B strep pneumonia (if pleural effusions are also present)
Does neonatal pneumonia usually have increased or decreased lung volumes?
- Decreased lung volumes (group-B beta-hemolytic strep pneumonia)
- Increased lung volumes (non group-B strep pneumonia)
Bilateral granular opacities, low lung volumes, and pleural effusions in a newborn…
Think group-B beta-hemolytic neonatal pneumonia
Note: If there were increased lung volumes, then you would think non group-B pneumonia.
Is group-B or non group-B strep pneumonia more associated with pleural effusions?
Non group-B strep neonatal pneumonia is more highly associated with pleural effusions (75% of cases)
Note: Group-B strep neonatal pneumonia is also highly associated with pleural effusions (25%) which can help distinguish it from surfactant-deficiency disease.
Patchy, asymmetric perihilar opacities with pleural effusions and hyperinflation…
Think non Group-B strep neonatal pneumonia