Water-path ultrasound of chest disease in childhood.

While contact ultrasound has been used to assess the pleural space, pulmonary parenchyma, and mediastinum, there have been many difficulties owing to attenuation by bone and air interfaces. The authors have obtained excellent results using water-path ultrasound in 82 children with benign and malignant thoracic disease. The physical characteristics of the water path and the ability to scan dependent portions of the chest in various planes facilitated identification and characterization of lesions involving the chest wall, pleura, parenchyma, and mediastinum.