**2.4 Ultrasound**

Previously, lung ultrasound (LUS) was not used for infant chest imaging due to interference of air levels. This modality has its own potential adverse effects including thermal and mechanical tissue damage [27, 29]. Recently, lung ultrasound

**21**

**Table 1.** *CRIB score.*

is a diagnostic clue for NRDS.

*\*Excluding inevitably lethal malformations.*

dominal approach for diagnosing NRDS.

reliable for diagnosing neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

*Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Things to Consider and Ways to Manage*

**Factor Score**

>1350 0 851–1350 1 701–850 4 ≤700 7

>24 0 ≤24 1

None 0 Not actually life-threatening 1 Actually life threatening 3

**>−7** 0 −7 to −9.9 1 −10 to 14.9 2 ≤−15 3

≤40% 0 41–60% 2 61–90% 3 91–100% 4

<40% 0 41–80% 1 81–90% 3 91–100% 5

has been widely used as an accurate diagnostic tool according to published clinical studies [4, 7, 16, 30–34]. Lack of normal air-filled levels and presence of fluid level

A meta-analysis of six studies comparing LUS to chest x-ray for diagnosing NRDS reported a high diagnostic sensitivity (97%) and specificity (91%) for LUS [35]. They have also reported that transthoracic technique is superior to transab-

On the other hand, some researchers believe that lung ultrasound can be helpful only as a complementary diagnostic tool rather than a diagnostic method [36]. They have mentioned in a letter-to-editor that only chest radiographs and CT scan can be

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90885*

**Birth weight (gr)**

**Gestation (week)**

**Congenital malformations**\*

**Maximum base excess in first 12 h (nmol/L)**

**Minimum appropriate FIO2 in first 12 h**

**Maximum appropriate FIO2 in first 12 h**

*Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Things to Consider and Ways to Manage DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90885*

