Giá trị của cắt lớp vi tính lồng ngực ở trẻ viêm phổi tái diễn tại Bệnh viện Nhi Hà Nội

Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and to assess the diagnostic value of chest Computed Tomography (CT) in detecting pulmonary lesions in children with recurrent pneumonia. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from October 2024 to September 2025 at Hanoi Children Hospital on 50 children diagnosed with recurrent pneumonia. Data on clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, chest X-ray (CXR), and chest CT images were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The mean age of the patients was 19.4 ± 13.3 months old, with a male-to-female ratio of 56% to 44%. Bacterial etiology was identified in 52% of cases. On CXR, bronchial wall thickening was observed in 88% of cases. While on CT, consolidation was present in 42%. CT also identified other specific lesions, including bronchial wall thickening (82%), bronchiectasis (10%), mediastinal lymphadenopathy (10%), and anatomical abnormalities (8%). Compared to CXR, the CT scan was superior in all three surveyed lesion types (bronchial wall thickening, consolidation, and interstitial lesions), identifying a higher number of cases in each category. This superiority was statistically significant for the detection of consolidation (p = 0.039). Chest CT is a valuable diagnostic modality for evaluating pulmonary lesions and detecting anatomical abnormalities in children with recurrent pneumonia. The indication for a chest CT scan should be considered for children with ≥ 2 episodes of pneumonia per year, those who fail to respond to treatment, or when structural abnormalities are suspected.