Lung Ultrasound: A Revolutionary Tool for the Future Assessment of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia of the Preterm Infant—A Review
摘要
Lung ultrasound is a recent technique in neonatology that provides important imaging information, complementing the data obtained from the usual chest X-ray. Furthermore, it is harmless, inexpensive, quick, can be performed at the patient’s bedside, and has a low degree of inter-observer disagreement. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants is a chronic condition that causes respiratory and non-respiratory morbidity into adulthood. Lung ultrasound has been increasingly used by neonatologists in the evaluation of neonates with respiratory failure progressing to BPD. Lung ultrasound has been primarily used in two aspects of evaluating BPD: as a predictive aid tool and for pulmonary assessment in established BPD. In addition to these aspects, ultrasound also allows for the evaluation of lung patterns in response to therapies, including diuretics. In this narrative review, the authors describe the main aspects of using lung ultrasound in BPD in premature infants, providing clinicians with useful information for their daily practice.