Purpose or Case Report: 1) To make the reader aware of imaging features in neonatal respiratory disterss.
2) Multimodality imaging of infants with respiratory distress.
3) Role of antenatal imaging, especially fetal MRI in multidisciplinary approach in management of respiratory disorders of infants.
Methods & Materials: We retrospectively evaluated imaging studies in neonates with respiratory distress in radiology department in a tertiary care pediatric hospital.
Also we prospectively followed neonates who had abnormalities detected on fetal MRI affecting respiratory system.We specifically evaluated how the antenatal imaging affected the management and outcomes.
Results: Causes of neonatal respiratory distress can be divided into those amiable to medical management and those treated surgically.
Common medical causes are: Respiratory distress syndrome secondary surfactant deficiency from prematurity, transient tachyapnoea of newborn, meconium aspiration syndrome, pulmonary hypoplasia and sepsis.
Common surgical causes of neonatal respiratory distress are: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital pulmonary airway malformations, tracheo-esophageal fistulas, pulmonary sequestration and congenital lobar emphysema.
Most of these surgical causes can be detected and accurately characterized by antenatal imaging by ultrasound and fetal MRI.
Conclusions: Imaging plays a pivotal role in diagnosis, stratification and managment of causes for neonatal respiratory distress.
Fetal MRI plays a crucial role in detection of anomalies affecting the fetal respiratory system and thus helps in planning refferal to higher centers for a multidisciplinary managemnet approach.