Pictorial review of non-traumatic thoracic emergencies in the pediatric population

Abstract Background Non-traumatic thoracic emergencies are commonly encountered emergencies in children. These require prompt diagnosis in order to establish timely management, especially since these patients can rapidly decompensate with hemodynamic and respiratory failure. Main text The objective of this article is to review various non-traumatic emergent chest pathologies in the pediatric population that a radiologist can encounter in a day-to-day practice. These thoracic emergencies are divided into pleuroparenchymal, cardiac, vascular, esophageal, mediastinal, and thoracic cage etiologies. Conclusions The timely diagnosis of these conditions is essential for the acute management of these emergencies.