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
Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
In utero, the pulmonary blood pressures are high (allowing blood to bypass the lungs). This high pulmonary pressure usually normalizes after the infant takes their first breath, but can persist.
Note: This can be primary (idiopathic) or secondary (due to hypoxia in the setting of meconium aspiration, pneumonia, etc.).
Linear lucencies on chest radiograph in a 6 day old infant being ventilated for surfactant-deficiency disease…
Think pulmonary interstitial emphysema (air escaping the alveoli and entering the interstitial/lymphatics due to high PEEP)
Note: This pt is likely to develop a pneumothorax if not corrected.
How can you differentiate pulmonary interstitial emphysema from bronchopulmonary dysplasia?
Pulmonary interstitial emphysema occurs in the first week of life (usually while ventilated)
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia occurs in pts older than 2-3 weeks of life
Note: Both can present with linear lucencies on chest radiograph.
Treatment for pulmonary interstitial emphysema
- Switch ventilation methods (e.g. decrease PEEP)
- Place the infant with the affected side down (if PIE on the left, then place them left side down)
Linear lucencies on the chest radiograph of a 20 day old infant being ventilated for surfactant-deficiency disease
Think bronchopulmonary dysplasia (AKA chronic lung disease)
Note: If this infant were less than 1 week old, then you would think pulmonary interstitial emphysema.
Alternating regions of fibrosis (band-like opacities) and hyper aeration in an ex-premature infant who had prolonged ventilation…
Think bronchopulmonary dysplasia (AKA chronic lung disease)
Post-term infant with respiratory distress…
Think meconium aspiration
Term infant delivered by cesarean section with respiratory distress…
Think transient tachypnea of the newborn
Term infant born to a mother who received sedation during delivery with respiratory distress…
Think transient tachypnea of the newborn
Preterm infant with respiratory distress…
Think surfactant-deficiency disease (respiratory distress syndrome)
What are the major causes of pulmonary hypoplasia?
- Primary (idiopathic)
- Secondary (e.g. congenital diaphragmatic hernia, etc.)
What are the major causes of secondary pulmonary hypoplasia?
- Things taking up too much space within the chest (e.g. congenital diaphragmatic hernia, neuroblastoma, giant congenital heart, sequestration, etc.)
- Thinks outside the chest pushing on the chest (e.g. messed up rib cage such as in Jeune syndrome, large intraabdominal mass, etc.)
- Things outside the chest that mess up normal lung development (e.g. oligohydramnios such as in premature rupture of membranes, Potter sequence, renal problems, etc.)
Reduced fetal thoracic circumference during an OB ultrasound…
Think pulmonary hypoplasia (possibly secondary to oligohydramnios)
Fetal lung to head ratio < 1 on an OB ultrasound…
Think pulmonary hypoplasia (possibly secondary to congenital diaphragmatic hernia, skeletal issues, or oligohydramnios)
Potter sequence pathophysiology
Dysfunctional kidneys results in no urine output (no amniotic fluid), which prevents normal lungs from maturing (the fetus must breath the amniotic fluid for normal pulmonary development)
What is the most common congenital diaphragmatic hernia?
Bochdalek hernia (“B” in the Back of the diaphragm)
Bockdalek hernias are usually on the left, but Bochdalek hernias on the right are associated with…
Group-B strep pneumonia
Solitary, unilocular cyst abutting the trachea…
Think bronchogenic cyst