Lung MRI in Paediatric Lung Disease: MRI in PBB

Protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) is a problem in the lungs causing children to have a wet cough for more than 4 weeks. PBB is also known to start before and cause other lung diseases and to affect children's quality of life. It is difficult to know if a child has PBB. Listening to the lungs and measuring a child's breathing are usually normal and so a bronchoscopy (looking in the lungs with a camera) and a type of lung scan called CT are needed to diagnose PBB. These tests involve children being put to sleep under anaesthetic (bronchoscopy) or exposed to radiation (CT) and so are not performed often. PBB is difficult to treat and antibiotics are given for many weeks to make children better. Often this doesn't stop the cough and antibiotics need to be injected into the child to treat the infection. Children have to take large amounts of antibiotics and have regular physiotherapy to h