Which radiographic findings are typical for bronchopulmonary dysplasia?

• A. Ground-glass appearance with opacification and atelectasis
• B. Normal radiograph
• C. Large pleural effusions without lung findings
• D. Lobar pneumonia pattern

Answer: (A)

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia reflects chronic injury to the preterm lung from oxygen and ventilation, leading to abnormal alveolar development and interstitial changes. On chest radiographs, this tends to produce diffuse hazy opacities—often described as a ground-glass-like appearance—with accompanying atelectasis from uneven aeration and crowding of the airways. As the disease evolves, you may also see coarse markings and later areas of linear or patchy atelectasis, but the hallmark early pattern is these diffuse, ill-defined opacities with atelectasis.

This fits better than a normal film, which would argue against disease progression; large pleural effusions would present with visible fluid and altered costophrenic angles rather than a diffuse lung pattern; and a lobar pneumonia pattern would show focal consolidation rather than the diffuse, heterogeneous involvement typical of BPD.