Purpose or Case Report: Childhood interstitial (diffuse) lung disease (chILD) in infants consists of a rare and heterogeneous group of disorders previously classified with clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features. The purpose of this article is to discuss imaging techniques and provide a pattern-based approach for chILD in infants.
Methods & Materials: 1. Review the current American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines for diagnosis and classification of chILD
2. Discuss the utility and limitations of imaging modalities including radiographs, CT and MRI for diagnosis and follow up of chILD in infants
3. Review a CT pattern-based approach with imaging examples for chILD in infants
Results: After reviewing the exhibit, the reader will be aware of the spectrum of chILD in infants, and be able to use the discussed imaging based algorithm to assist in efficient and accurate diagnosis of various chILD entities in the infant population.
Conclusions: chILD in infants constitutes a diverse group of lung abnormalities which can be complex and challenging to diagnose. Aside from the infants with diffuse development disorders, whom typically are only imaged with chest radiographs, the remainder of the diseases in the chILD spectrum presenting in infants can be approached with a CT algorithm utilizing the stepwise assessment of lung volumes, ground glass, and cysts. In conjunction with the patient’s demographics and clinical presentation, this algorithm can aid the radiologist in making an accurate and timely diagnosis.