[Relationship of chest roentgenographic features and outcome in meconium aspiration syndrome].

Aspiration of meconium may produce respiratory distress of various severity and outcome. It is the purpose of this study to evaluate the relationship between roentgenographic feature of initial chest roentgenogram (less than 10 hours old) and outcome in infants with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). We analyzed retrospectively the clinical data and initial chest roentgenograms of 65 infants who had MAS and who were admitted to NICU of Mackay Memorial Hospital in 1987. The incidence and the mortality rate in this hospital were 0.33% and 15.4% respectively. Infiltration was seen in 52, consolidation or atelectasis in 18, hyperinflation in 17, air leak in 11, and cardiomegaly in 4. The outcome was similar between infants with the first four features. Four infants with cardiomegaly also had other types of roentgenographic feature and PH value of initial blood gas less than 7.0, which means that their poor outcome was influenced by multiple factors. From this observation we concluded that the initial chest roentgenogram is a useful aid for the diagnosis and treatment of MAS, but it is not suitable for predicting the outcome of infants with MAS.