Differential diagnosis of pediatric pulmonary edema

• Cardiogenic
  — Left heart failure / congestive heart failure
  — Rheumatic heart disease causing mitral valve disease
  — Aortic stenosis
  — Arrthymias
  — Myocardial disease – myocarditis / cardiomyopathy
• Non cardiogenic
  — Acute asthma
  — Near drowning
  — Acute glomerulonephritis
  — Hemolytic uremic syndrome
  — Adult respiratory distress syndrome

Approach to the differential diagnosis of pulmonary edema:

• The key finding in pulmonary edema is bilateral perihilar interstial infiltrates. There may be other signs of pulmonary edema present such as Kerley’s B lines or pleural effusions
• One way to distinguish cardiogenic from non cardiogenic etiologies is to look for cardiomegaly; if cardiomegaly is present the etiology of the pulmonary edema is most likely cardiogenic