The Role of Chest X-Ray in the Radiological Assessment of Pediatric Pneumonia in a Tertiary Care Setting

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that is marked by a fever, respiratory symptoms, and changes seen on imaging. It is important to diagnose and evaluate the seriousness of an allergic disease in children as soon as possible for proper treatment. Objective: To analyze whether severe acute pneumonia in children can be predicted using chest X-rays. Patients with severe acute pneumonia had symptoms including difficulty in breathing, low oxygen levels, and findings on X-ray, such as lobar consolidation and interstitial involvement. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, Gujranwala, Pakistan, from December 2022 to March 2023. The study included 60 pediatric patients diagnosed with pneumonia. Patients with pneumothorax were excluded from the study. The study determined the sample size based on previous similar research. SPSS-22 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Most children in the research were less than 3 years old. The majority were boys, 41 (68.3%), while girls accounted for 19 (31.7%). The symptom that patients most usually reported was difficulty breathing, 25 (41.7%). The majority of the cases showed consolidation of a lobe, 25 (41.7%), followed by interstitial abnormalities, 14 (23.3%). Conclusions: It was concluded that lobar consolidation was the most common radiological finding in children with severe acute pneumonia, particularly in boys under the age of three. Chest X-rays played a crucial role in diagnosing and evaluating the severity of the disease. Regular training for radiologists and clinicians on pediatric pneumonia patterns can further improve diagnostic accuracy.