Interventions in the Chest in Children

The scope for image-guided intervention in the chest is very wide and encompasses procedures in the heart, pulmonary and systemic vasculature, lungs and pleural cavities, airway, and esophagus. This review describes the most important procedures that are usually performed by radiologists. Percutaneous drainage is now the most common method of treating both empyemas and lung abscesses in children. Although most lung biopsies are carried out by other means, percutaneous biopsy and localization are important alternatives for the diagnosis of focal lung lesions. Esophageal strictures are common in children and are usually best treated by balloon dilatation. The use of retrievable or biodegradable stents has recently been introduced for refractory esophageal strictures. Similarly, balloon dilatation and stenting are now increasingly used in children with stenosis or extrinsic compression of the trachea or bronchi.