Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Sep;52(10):2051-2061.
doi: 10.1007/s00247-022-05430-7. Epub 2022 Jul 2.

Ultrasound imaging of diaphragmatic motion

Lauren A May  1   2 , Monica Epelman  3   4 , Oscar M Navarro  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Ultrasound imaging of diaphragmatic motion

Lauren A May et al. Pediatr Radiol. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

The diaphragm is the key muscle of respiration, especially in infants. Diaphragmatic dysfunction and paralysis can have significant implications for medical management and treatment, and they can be challenging to diagnose by clinical parameters alone. Multiple imaging modalities are useful for assessing the diaphragm, but US - specifically M-mode US - offers several distinct advantages and few limitations compared to fluoroscopy, radiography, CT and MRI. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss the pathophysiology of the diaphragm, review common indications for dynamic diaphragmatic US, describe optimal imaging technique, and discuss how to avoid imaging pitfalls.

Keywords: Children; Diaphragm; Infants; M-mode; Motion; Paralysis; Ultrasound.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Weber MD, Lim JKB, Glau C et al (2021) A narrative review of diaphragmatic ultrasound in pediatric critical care. Pediatr Pulmonol 56:2471–2483 - DOI
    1. Gil-Juanmiquel L, Gratacós M, Castilla-Fernández Y et al (2017) Bedside ultrasound for the diagnosis of abnormal diaphragmatic motion in children after heart surgery. Pediatr Crit Care Med 18:159–164 - DOI
    1. Sanchez de Toledo J, Munoz R, Landsittel D et al (2010) Diagnosis of abnormal diaphragm motion after cardiothoracic surgery: ultrasound performed by a cardiac intensivist vs. fluoroscopy. Congenit Heart Dis 5:565–572 - DOI
    1. Epelman M, Navarro OM, Daneman A, Miller SF (2005) M-mode sonography of diaphragmatic motion: description of technique and experience in 278 pediatric patients. Pediatr Radiol 35:661–667 - DOI
    1. Cox M, Soudack M, Podberesky DJ, Epelman M (2017) Pediatric chest ultrasound: a practical approach. Pediatr Radiol 47:1058–1068 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources