Study of the radiological picture of the lungs in rachitic infants

ABSTRACT

This work aimed at studying the pulmonary radiological findings in infants suffering from vitamin D deficiency rickets. It included fifty cases with a mean age of 14 months. A high percentage [74%] of the cases presented with acute respiratory illness confirming the strong association between rickets and respiratory problems. All the infants who had clinical evidence of respiratory disease [37 cases, 74%] showed also radiologic pulmonary abnormalities, the most frequent of them were bronchopneumonia [in 24%], lobar pneumonia [in 12%] and pneumonitis [in 12%]. Other infants had atelectasis [in 10%]. Over aeration of the lung [in 8%], increased basal markings [in 4%] and partial hypo aeration [in 4%]. The occurrence of respiratory complications in rachitic infants was found to be significantly associated with the presence of chest deformity, high levels of alkaline phosphatase, and moderate to severe rickets