Advancements in imaging in ChILD

Abstract

Interstitial and diffuse lung diseases in children constitute a range of congenital and acquired disorders. These disorders present with signs and symptoms of respiratory disease accompanied by diffuse radiographic changes. In many cases, radiographic findings are nonspecific, while in other disorders, chest computed tomography (CT) is diagnostic in the appropriate context. Regardless, chest imaging remains central in the evaluation of the patient with suspected childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD). Several newly described chILD entities, spanning both genetic and acquired etiologies, have imaging that aid in their diagnoses. Advances in CT scanning technology and CT analysis techniques continue to improve scan quality as well as expand use of chest CT as a research tool. Finally, ongoing research is expanding use of imaging modalities without ionizing radiation. Magnetic resonance imaging is being applied to investigate pulmonary structure and function, and ultrasound of the lung and pleura is a novel technique with an emerging role in chILD disorders. This review describes the current state of imaging in chILD including recently described diagnoses, advances in conventional imaging techniques and applications, and evolving new imaging modalities that expand the clinical and research roles for imaging in these disorders.