Congenital surfactant protein B deficiency - emphasis on imaging

Background objectives. Surfactant protein B deficiency has become increasin gly recognized as a cause of severe prolonged respiratory distress. Little has been written about the imaging appearance and the role of imaging in di agnosis. Materials and methods. Three newborn infants with severe respiratory distre ss exhibited prolonged diffuse pulmonary opacification radiographically Results. Diffuse ground-glass opacity and markedly prominent interlobular s epta suggesting alveolar proteinosis were present on early thin-section che st computed tomographic (CT) images. Fibrotic changes with prominent interl obular septal thickening were present on a later CT. Surfactant protein B d eficiency was confirmed by alveolar lavage and peripheral brood DNA analysi s. Conclusion. Thin-section chest CT imaging contributes important information when this diagnosis is considered.