Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Pediatric Chest "Masses": When to Consider?

Thoracic ultrasound is radiation-free, easily available, portable modality with added advantage of real-time assessment. It is useful in mediastinal lesions and peripheral lung, pleural and chest wall masses. Not only is it a valuable modality in differentiating solid from cystic lesion, it can also depict internal architecture without the use of contrast material. The added advantages of its use in children are the lack of ionizing radiation, and no need for sedation or general anesthesia in most cases. Although it has its limitations with a longer learning curve, it can act as a second-line modality to chest radiograph and adjunctive modality to CT in cases of a thoracic mass in a child.