Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) - Indications for Initial Chest X-Ray in Infant or Child

Imaging for CAP: posteroanterior and lateral views

Chest X-rays are usually unnecessary in a patient with uncomplicated pneumonia managed as an outpatient.

Indications for initial chest X-rays:

(1) hypoxemia or significant respiratory distress

(2) hospitalized for management (to document size and nature of parenchymal infiltrates)

(3) failure of antibiotic therapy

(4) prolonged fever and cough

(5) unexplained abdominal pain with tachypnea, cough or fever

A key goal of imaging studies is to exclude conditions that may complicate management (necrotizing pneumonia, pneumothorax or parapneumonic effusions).