Spanish researchers slam X-rays for bronchiolitis in infants:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The routine use of X-rays to diagnose bronchiolitis in infants is "ineffective and a waste of resources", thereby also exposing the patient to unnecessary radiation, say Spanish researchers. According to a study of 252 infants (half of whom were aged under 15 months), most X-ray images did not reveal the significant changes to the lung tissue associated with the condition. The team of researchers from Madrid's Severo Ochoa and Instituto Carlos III hospitals concluded that the condition is best diagnosed on the basis of temperature and oxygen saturation of the blood, while X-rays would only help in certain cases where the condition worsened. The study is published in the current issue of the journal Anales de Pediatria.