All issues > Volume 45(3); 2002

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2002;45(3):339-345. Published online March 15, 2002.

Usefulness of Chest High-Resolution CT in Patients with Chronic Cough Below 2 Years of Age

Myung Hyun MH Kim¹, Jung Hee JH Kim¹, Dae Hyun DH Lim¹, Byong Kwan BK Son¹, Kyung-Hee KH Lee²

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea
²Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea

Correspondence Dae Hyun DH Lim ,Email: dhnlim@inha.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of chest high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT) in patients with chronic coughs or persistent wheezing with normal chest X-ray finding.
Methods
: We reviewed the charts, chest X-rays, and HRCT findings of patients with chronic coughs or persistent wheezing of less than 2 years of age. The records were sourced from the Department of Pediatrics, Inha University Hospital covering the period from July, 1999 to June, 2000. Chronic cough was defined as a cough which was prolonged for more than 3 weeks.
Results
: The sample consisted of 24 patients(male 15 and female 9, mean age 4.7?.8 months old). Among them, 16 patients showed normal findings(66.7%) and 8 patients showed abnormal (33.3%) in simple chest X-rays. Among 16 patients who had the normal chest X-rays, 13 patients showed abnormal chest HRCT findings(81.3%) such as air space consolidation of the dependent portion(62.5%), bronchiolitis obliterans(12.5%), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia(6.3%).
Conclusion
: We suggest that the chest HRCT is a useful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with chronic cough or persistent wheezing with normal chest X-ray, especially below 2 years of age.

Keywords :Chronic cough, Chest HRCT