Presentation
Full-term newborn with signs and symptoms of respiratory distress on the first day of life.
Patient Data
Bilateral patchy alveolar opacities are seen. Hyperinflated lungs with flattened hemidiaphragms. Clear costophrenic angles. Normal cardiothoracic ratio.
Case Discussion
This a full-term baby boy during his first day of life presenting with signs and symptoms of respiratory distress. The asymmetric patchy lung opacities with increased lung volumes are classic findings of meconium aspiration, on chest radiograph, which often occur in term or post-term infants.
Being a full-term baby excludes the possibility of respiratory distress syndrome which classically demonstrates small lung volumes on a plain radiograph in premature newborns.