Ultrasound diagnosis and grading criteria of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

Background

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common critical lung disease in newborn infants, especially those in premature infants with higher mortality rate. Early and correct diagnosis is the key to improve its prognosis. Previously, the diagnosis of RDS mainly relied on chest X-ray (CXR) findings, and it has been graded into four stages based on the progression and severity of CXR changes. This traditional diagnosing and grading method may lead to high misdiagnosis rate or delayed diagnosis. Recently, using ultrasound to diagnose neonatal lung diseases and RDS is becoming increasingly popular, and the technology is gaining higher sensitivity and higher specificity. The management of RDS under lung ultrasound (LUS) monitoring has achieved significant results, reducing the misdiagnosis rate of RDS, thereby reducing the probability of mechanical ventilation and the use of exogenous pulmonary surfactant, and making the success rate of treatment of RDS up to 100%.

Objective

The purpose of the article was to introduce the ultrasound grading methods and criteria of RDS, in order to promote the application of LUS in the diagnosis and treatment of RDS.

Methods

Literature (in English and Chinese) on the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of neonatal RDS between 2008 and 2022 was selected for inclusion in this study.

Results

From the collected literature, the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of RDS is increasing, and people's understanding of the ultrasound imaging findings of RDS is also changing. Among them, the research on ultrasound grading of RDS is the latest progress.

Conclusion

Ultrasound is accurate and reliable in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of RDS. It is of great clinical value to master the ultrasound diagnosis and grading criteria of RDS.

Keywords:

• Chest X-ray
• newborn infants
• lung ultrasound
• respiratory distress syndrome
• ultrasound diagnosis
• ultrasound grading criteria

Author contributions

Dr. JL contributed to the study conception, ultrasound examination, and literature collection and analysis, and wrote and approved the manuscript.

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Consent form

Not applicable.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Data availability statement

The data set used and analyzed are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no external funding.