Pneumatosis Plain Film Neonate

Purpose	Identify findings of necrotizing enterocolitis
Tag(s)
Panel	Pediatric Panel
Define-AI ID	19010002
Originator	Alex Towbin
Lead	Alex Towbin
Panel Chair	Matt Hawkins
Panel Reviewers	Pediatric Panel
License	Creative Commons 4.0
Status	Published

                

Clinical Implementation

Value Proposition

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal disease of newborns. It typically affects premature infants and can be devastating leading to strictures, bowel perforations, bowel necrosis, and even death. Affected patients can present with a number of different clinical findings including abdominal distension, bilious aspirate from a nasogastric tube, increased aspirates from a nasogastric tube, abdominal discoloration, bloody stool, decreased bowel sounds, apnea, temperature instability, and shock. An abdominal radiograph is often used to identify patients with necrotizing enterocolitis. Findings on abdominal radiographs include dilated air-filled loops of bowel, pneumatosis intestinalis, portal venous gas, and intraperitoneal free air.  Automated detection of the early findings of NEC will allow neonatologists to begin treatment earlier.

Narrative(s)

An abdominal radiograph is ordered for a premature infant with abdominal distension, bloody stool, and bilious aspirates.

Workflow Description

An abdominal radiograph performed in an infant in the first two months of life.

An abdominal radiograph is taken and sent to PACS and the AI engine. The algorithm identifies the bowel gas pattern and then detects if pneumatosis, portal venous gas, and/or intraperitoneal free air is present or absent.

Considerations for Dataset Development

Procedures	Radiograph abdomen
Age	[0-2 months]
In-Patient Location	NICU
Positioning	AP Supine, Cross-table lateral

Technical Specifications

Inputs

 

DICOM Study

Primary Outputs

Bowel Gas Pattern

Pneumatosis Detection

Portal Venous Gas Detection

Intraperitoneal free air detection

Future Development Ideas

• Identify patients at risk for NEC or based on laboratory findings or other risk factors
• Identify patients at risk for developing surgical NEC (free air)
  
  

Related Datasets

No known related public datasets at this time,  please us alert us if you know of any.