Bronchiolitis x ray
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Alonso Alvarado, M.D. [2], Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [3]
Overview
Chest X-ray in cases of bronchiolitis is usually nonspecific and may be inefficient for differentiating bronchiolitis from other lower respiratory tract infections. It may show atelectasis and consolidations. Chest X-ray is also used to exclude other medical conditions like pneumonia.
Chest X Ray
Abnormalities in the chest X-ray are usually nonspecific and are not useful for the diagnosis of bronchiolitis. In cases of bronchiolitis, X-ray of the chest shows the following:[1]
- The presence of atelectasis and consolidations has been studied for the assessment of severity; however, there is no evidence of a clear correlation.[1]
- Chest X-ray may be used in hospitalized patients with no clinical improvement and to rule out other suspected diagnoses such as pneumonia.[1]
- The routine use of chest X-ray is generally avoided, as there is no evidence supporting its benefit in the diagnosis of bronchiolitis and it has been associated with higher rates of unnecessary antibiotic use.[2]
Shown below is a radiograph of a patient affected by bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus infection.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 American Academy of Pediatrics Subcommittee on Diagnosis and Management of Bronchiolitis (2006). “Diagnosis and management of bronchiolitis”. Pediatrics. 118 (4): 1774–93. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2223. PMID 17015575.
- ↑ Bordley WC, Viswanathan M, King VJ, Sutton SF, Jackman AM, Sterling L; et al. (2004). “Diagnosis and testing in bronchiolitis: a systematic review”. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 158 (2): 119–26. doi:10.1001/archpedi.158.2.119. PMID 14757603.
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