Hemorrhage of the lung of newborns and its differential diagnosis

Chest X-rays of 17 newborns suffering from hemorrhage of the lung were analysed with special respect to kind of shadow and translucency. Most significant findings were fine-grained, coarse-spotted, striated, and homogenous shadows, indicating the hemorrhage. Differentiation of hyaline membranes in most cases is easy, whereas difficulties are arising for differentiation of hemorrhage and interstitial edema in cardiac decompensation and especially in shunt-heart defects. Differentiation with respect to pneumonic infiltrations is not possible except in white lungs, although signs of emphysema are giving indirect indication to a pneumonic infiltration. Chest X-rays are very useful to find out shadows, to diffentiate other reasons of a respiratory distress syndrome, and for follow-up investigations. (orig.)