Background: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is the most frequent cause of respiratory failure treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The diagnosis is usually based on clinical manifestation and chest X-ray. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible role of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of the RDS.
Material/Methods: Ultrasound examination was performed in 131 consecutive newborns admitted to the NICU in their fi rst day of life with symptoms of respiratory failure. The method of ultrasound examination of the chest is based on the “mirror refl ection” phenomenon arising on the pulmonary-diaphragmatic border.
Results: Retrohepatic or retrosplenic hyperechogenicity was shown in 109 of the 131 examined newborns and the diagnosis was confi rmed by X-ray in 101 cases. RDS was diagnosed in no patient without retrohepatic or retrosplenic hyperechogenicity. In eight patients with positive ultrasound images unconfi rmed by chest X-ray, congenital pneumonia (four cases) and pneumothorax (one case) were diagnosed and in three cases no pathology was found.
Conclusions: The ultrasound examination is characterized by 100% sensitivity and 92% specifi city in RDS. There was a strong positive correlation between ultrasound and X-ray imaging in the description of RDS severity (tau=0.835; p

Keywords: Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Radiography, Thoracic, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn - ultrasonography, Sensitivity and Specificity, Ultrasonography