Table 2 World Health Organization standardized interpretation of pediatric anteroposterior chest radiographs in pneumonia epidemiological studies (adapted from Mahomed et al., 2017)
Film Quality | Definition |
|---|---|
Uninterpretable | Features of the image are not interpretable with respect to presence or absence of consolidation or pleural effusion without additional images. |
Suboptimal | Features allow interpretation of consolidation and pleural effusion, but not of other infiltrates or findings. |
Adequate | Features allow confident interpretation of consolidation and pleural effusion as well as other infiltrates. |
Classification of findings | |
Significant pathology | Refers specifically to the presence of consolidation, infiltrates or effusion. |
Endpoint consolidation | A dense or confluent opacity that occupies a portion or whole of a lobe or the entire lung that may or may not contain air bronchogram. |
Other (non-endpoint) infiltrates | Linear and patchy opacities (interstitial infiltrate) in a lacy pattern, featuring Peribronchial thickening and multiple areas of atelectasis; it also includes minor patchy infiltrates that are not of sufficient magnitude to constitute endpoint consolidation, and small areas of atelectasis that in children may be difficult to distinguish from consolidation. |
Pleural effusion | Presence of fluid in the lateral pleural space between the lung and chest wall that is spatially associated with a pulmonary parenchymal infiltrate (including other infiltrate) or has obliterated enough of the hemithorax to obscure any infiltrate; in most cases, this will be seen at the costo-phrenic angle or as a layer of fluid adjacent to the lateral chest wall; this does not include fluid seen in the horizontal or oblique fissures. |
Conclusions | |
Primary endpoint pneumonia (PEP). | The presence of consolidation or pleural effusion, (as defined above) |
Other infiltrate | The presence of other (non-consolidation) infiltrates as defined above in the absence of a pleural effusion. |
No consolidation/infiltrate/effusion | Absence of consolidation, other infiltrates or pleural effusion. |