Chest X-rays in children and adolescents Indications and limitations

Clinical issue Chest X-ray is the most commonly performed X-ray examination in children and adolescents. The aim of this review is to present the benefit of this radiologic modality, but also its limitations. Methods Compared with older children, most X-ray examinations of the chest were performed in newborns. After the neonatal period, this review focusses on the diagnosis of inflammatory pulmonary changes, foreign body aspiration, detection of pulmonary nodules, and cystic fibrosis. Methodological innovations The radiation exposure of X-ray examinations is continuously decreasing due to technical innovations. However, other imaging modalities were also continuously being optimized; therefore, alternatives without radiation exposure, i.e., magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and ultrasound, should be considered in case of specific clinical indications. Practical recommendation Even if the diagnostic performance of chest X-ray examinations is often minor compared to computed tomography or MRI, chest X-ray still has a high value in children and adolescents, due to its ubiquitous availability and the relatively simple acquisition.