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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Bronchiolitis x ray

Introduction

Overview

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

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.

Chest x ray shows typical bilateral perihilar fullness of bronchiolitis. Source: By James Heilman, MD – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14504378
References

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ 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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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]