Use of chest radiography in pediatric intensive care unit
- Autores: Ricardo Mengue de Souza, Matteo Baldisserotto, Jefferson Pedro Piva, Edgar Enrique Sarria Icaza
- Localización: Scientia Medica, ISSN-e 1980-6108, Vol. 23, Nº. 3, 2013
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
-
Resumen
AIMS: To review the use of chest radiography in pediatric intensive care unit.
SOURCE OF DATA: Original and review articles in Medline/PubMed and Lilacs databases, using the key words: health professionals, x-ray/x-rays, chest; pediatric intensive care unit.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS: Pediatric radiology had its beginning concomitantly to general radiology, just after x-rays discovering. The main point came in the 1990s with the need of experts in the area. X-ray is the most used exam in Pediatrics. It is possible to help and determine diagnoses, to locate tubes, catheters and probes, to analyze thoracic condition pre and post medical procedures and to evaluate clinical evolution by x-rays. Children admitted to intensive care units are subjected to numerous chest x-rays, considerably increasing their exposure dose. For most clinical indications, a simple frontal image of the chest is enough. Knowledge of the chest radiological technique has proven important in reducing radiation dose, image artifacts and misdiagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS: Chest x-ray is recognized as a very important tool in the evaluation and management of the daily routine of the pediatric intensive care unit. It is used to evaluate functioning of equipment that is used to ventilate, moisturize and monitor a child who receives intensive care. For most clinical indications, a simple frontal image of the chest is enough.
