COMMON PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN PAEDIATRIC CHEST RADIOGRAPHS IN NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI

Abstract

The study examined common pathological findings in paediatric chest radiographs in Nnamdi

Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. Adescriptive cross-sectional study was adopted

for the study. The work targeted all paediatric patients who underwent chest x-ray investigation

in the radiology department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in the year 2017. Apurposive

sampling method was adopted in sampling participants for the study. The research was done

using records that met the inclusion criteria dating the year 2017. Atotal of 100 patient records,

below fourteen years of age that met the criteria for inclusion were used after scrutinizing

records of patients. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean, frequency

and standard deviation. Results showed that At Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital

(NAUTH), out of 100 paediatric patients recorded who had plain chest x-ray examinations,

63%(n=52) patients presented with normal radiographic findings while 37%(n=48) presented

with pathological findings. It also revealed that the common pathological findings are

bronchopneumonia 15%(n=19), foreign body 4%(n=8), pulmonary tuberculosis 4%(n=5),

interstitial lung disease 4%(n=8), pneumonic consolidation 3%(n=3), congestive cardiac failure

4%(n=4), pleural effusion 2%(n=1), then the normal findings of this study include normal study

63%(n=52). Bronchopneumonia has the highest frequency of occurrence at 15%, where male

patients were more affected than females. The age group range of range of 0-3 years is more

susceptible to most diseases apart from normal findings, this may be related to this age’s

physiological immune status (congenital or non-congenital) or social behaviour. It was

recommended among others that Chest X-rays should also be seconded with 2-D

echocardiography or ultrasound for most cases of congenital cardiopathies.