Will Lung Ultrasound Replace Chest X-Ray for Pneumonia Diagnosis?

Pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization and death in children worldwide. Diagnosis can be challenging because the signs and symptoms are nonspecific, and confirming clinical suspicion with a chest x-ray can be difficult in isolated clinics or resource-poor settings. Interest in lung ultrasound as an alternative to chest x-ray is increasing because it is safe (no exposure to ionizing radiation), portable, inexpensive, and easy to teach and use. To determine its diagnostic accuracy, researchers performed a meta-analysis of prospective studies of lung ultrasound in children <18 years old with pneumonia confirmed by chest x-ray or lung computed tomography scan.

A total of 8 studies involving 765 children (mean age, 5 years) were includ…