Complementary Value of Pleural Ultrasonography (US) In Determination of Pleural Fluid in Infants

Abstract

Aim: To show the complementary value of Ultrasonography (US) in evaluation of pleural collection in the infant. This is rarely in used in our environment.
Design: This is a prospective study.
Setting: University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City, Nigeria.
Method: 120 infants below the ages of 5year in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin with chest radiographs that showed pneumonic infiltrates, especially at the basal lung fields were further evaluated with pleural US. The US findings were compared with findings in 20 asymptomatic infants with normal chest radiograph used as the control group.
Results: Eighty percent of the patients were found to have associated pleural collection, out of which 15 percent of total number of patients had very significant pleural collection that may need drainage. Twenty percent had no collection. The ultrasound findings were further compared to finding in 20 asymptomatic subjects (control group) with normal US findings and the aforementioned findings were found verifiable and reproducible.
Conclusion: Pleural US are a veritable tool in evaluation of pleural collection in infants and should be used regularly since it has no ionizing irradiation.

Keywords: Pleural, Ultrasonography, pneumonic infiltrates, irradiation and Chest radiograph