European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Background: Bronchiolitis usually occurs during the first year of life, with a peak
incidence between 3 and 6 months of age. Chest Ultrasound has been proposed as a
diagnostic tool in many diseases in the pediatric and neonatological settings. The
aim of the present study was to differentiate simple versus complicated cases of
bronchiolitis in infant by chest ultrasound. Patients and methods: A prospective
observational study was conducted in Pediatric Department, Zagazig University
Hospitals.Inclusion criteria included infants aged 1 month to 2 years fulfilling
clinical criteria of acute bronchiolitis. Steps of performance included consent from
relatives to participate in the study, complete history taking, full clinical
examination, laboratory investigations, chest X-ray, chest Ultrasound and chest CT.
Results: Our results showed that wheeze was the commonest presentation (100.0%)
of the studied group followed by crepitation (12.3%) of them then Refusal of
feeding (9.2%) and lastly fever (5.0%) of the studied group. There was (55.4%) of
cases were complicated bronchiolitis by U/S and (44.6%) were simple. The
commonest cases (96.9%) were discharged with only (3.1%) death rate. The X-ray
was able to detect only (50.0%) of complicated cases and 29 cases (100.0%) were
excluded by both. Conclusion: Chest ultrasound is considered more sensitive and
specific than CXR in the diagnosis of complicated cases of acute bronchiolitis.
These data suggest that a positive chest ultrasound may avoid the need to perform
CXR in these patients.