The first chest radiograph in neonates exhibiting respiratory distress at birth

Chest x-rays read by a pediatric radiologist may be necessary for appropriately diagnosing newborns with respiratory distress. Researchers evaluated the agreement between pediatricians' and pediatric radiologists' initial diagnoses of 99 newborns admitted to intensive care because of mild to moderate respiratory distress. Doctors' initial diagnoses agreed in 66 cases (66%). Diagnoses of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) matched in 95% of cases, of trapped air in lungs in 78% of cases, and of transient rapid breathing in only 48% of cases. Such conditions may quickly become serious without detection and treatment.