Ministry of Health

NZ Government

    
 ©Copyright
 Published: 04/07/2007

The reliability of clinical respiratory signs elicited in newborn infants is not good.  Therefore, radiographs are an essential diagnostic tool in neonatal medicine and should be considered for infants with respiratory distress, regardless of what auscultation does or does not reveal.

They are also essential following:

• Intubation,
• Umbilical and longline placement, and
• Chest drain insertion

and should be considered in infants whose oxygen requirement increases by ≥10% for no apparent reason.