The Value of the Trans-Abdominal Ultrasound in Evaluation of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Abstract

ABSTRACT:BACKGROUND: Chest x-ray has been the traditional method of diagnostic evaluation of patients of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome of prematurity. Lung sonography has been lately explored as an alternative modality.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate diagnostic ability of trans-abdominal lung ultrasonography in detection of pulmonary manifestations of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and compared the findings with Chest x-ray.PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross section analytical study was performed at the NICU ward of Al-Yarmouk teaching Hospital; from January to august 2016, the study was done on 65 infants neonates included two groups one with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome group and other control group . Case were 50 premature newborns with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome ( gestational age from 24-35wks) and a control group of 15 premature newborns (gestational age30-35wks). The diagnosis of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome was made by clinical data and chest x-ray. The trans-abdominal lung ultrasonography was performed in all patients within the first 12 h of life. RESULTS: We seen that neonate are born by cesarean section 32(64%) and those neonates born by normal vaginal delivery 18(36%), while the male gender born with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome 33(66%) and female neonate with RDS 17( 34%), The trans-abdominal lung ultrasound showed 100% sensitivity,81 % specificity, The good correlation between stages of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome by lung ultrasound and chest x-ray findingsCONCLUSION: This study show that using of an ultrasound for the diagnosis of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is accurate and reliable tool with many advantages over other techniques as it is non-ionizing, low-cost and be performed at bedside, making this technique ideal for use in neonatal intensive care unit...