LED transillumination of the chest and abdomen in the diagnosis of neonatal conditions

Air leak syndromes, such as pneumothorax and pneumoperitoneum, are commonly diagnosed in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. However, this finding is usually detected with radiographic studies when the neonate is in poor condition. LED transillumination is an alternative method that allows a fast, inexpensive, and non-invasive diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of LED transillumination in neonates by comparing the results to chest and abdomen radiograph as reference test. Methodologydiagnostic and prospective study that included 56 neonates. We used a simple and inexpensive handcrafted LED transilluminator to evaluate the chest and abdomen of patients, blind to the final diagnosis. The findings were compared to the radiographs. Resultsthe study presented 3 true positive pneumothorax cases (sensibility 100%, 95%CI 29.24-100; specificity 100%, 95%CI 93.28-100), 1 true positive pneumoperitoneum case (sensibility 100%, 95%CI 2.50-100; specificity 100%, 95%CI 93.51-100), 10 true positive and 5 false negatives cases of gastric dilation (sensibility 66.67%, 95%CI 38.38-88.18; specificity 100%, 95%CI 91.19-100; negative likelihood ratio 0.33, 95%CI 0.16-0.68) and 4 true positive cases of dilation of bowel loops (sensibility 100%, 95%CI 39.76-100; specificity 100%, 95%CI 93.02-100). DiscussionLED transillumination is a safe, inexpensive, and easy-to-use clinical tool that may be employed to promote early intervention during severe cases of air leak syndrome that require immediate action, especially in low-income and rural areas. Further research with larger sample sizes is required to properly define the efficacy and usefulness of LED transillumination in routine use.