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Abstract
Respiratory illness is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children. CT lung has some advantages over plain chest radiography but exposes the child to more radiation. This study was carried to determine the value of performing lung CT in the management of children with respiratory diseases and to summarize the main indications for ordering pulmonary CT in Pediatrics.
Subject & Method A hospital based, retrospective case-review study was carried out in Pediatric department, Al-Adan Hospital, State Of Kuwait. The files of all patients less than 12 year age, and for whom CT lung was performed during the last five years (2000–2005) were reviewed.
Results Thirty patients for whom CT lung was performed were reviewed. The main indication for requesting chest CT was persistent abnormal CX-ray findings (90%) in a patient with uncontrolled wheeze and/or recurrent pneumonia. Findings of chest CT was the same as CX-ray findings (80%) and more specific +/- new diagnosis (20%). Results of chest CT influenced medical treatment only in seven of the cases (23%) and led to surgical intervention in two patients (0.06%), (hernia, cystic adenomatoidmalformation).
Conclusion Our data demonstrate that the result of CT lung in children doesn’t alter clinical decision and management of most of the cases. Therefore CT lung should be requested mainly for the high risk patients, preferably by a pulmonologist and after discussing the chest x-ray findings with a radiologist.