[Lung Ultrasound in Neonatology to diagnose a Pneumothorax (part one): Evidence - Time for a New Standard Protocol]

Abstract

Lung ultrasound is a well-studied diagnostic procedure in emergency medicine. Over the last several years, international research groups have investigated the role of lung ultrasound to evaluate neonatal respiratory diseases. Specific diagnostic algorithms and key features of a neonatal pneumothorax have been released. Compared to X-ray examination, lung ultrasound has many advantages, such as faster diagnostic time, lack of exposure to ionizing radiation, and excellent sensitivity and specificity. Thus, lung ultrasound contributes to the improvement of medical healthcare in the neonatal intensive care unit. We consider the use of lung ultrasound as a new standard procedure to diagnose a pneumothorax in neonatology.