Advances in Neonatal Diagnostics

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Diagnosis and Prognosis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 2795

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, UC Davis Children’s Hospital, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA
Interests: hemodynamics; cardiovascular physiology; transitional physiology; pulmonary hypertension; echocardiography; POCUS; congenital heart disease; neonatal intensive care; translational research
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent advancements in neonatal imaging have significantly enhanced the ability of clinicians to diagnose and monitor a wide range of conditions in newborns with greater precision and safety. One of the most transformative developments in neonatal diagnostics is the rapidly growing use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). This portable, radiation-free modality allows clinicians to rapidly assess a sick neonate at the bedside and provides real-time anatomical and physiological information for better clinical decision making. In neonates, where timely decision making is critical, POCUS evaluates conditions like pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, poor cardiac functions, intraventricular hemorrhage, and shock.

Advances in Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography have helped better our understanding of hemodynamics. Comprehensive hemodynamic evaluations have enhanced the impact of disease states and interventions on hemodynamics, and bedside serial echocardiography can help monitor rapidly changing conditions accurately. Functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are increasingly used to assess brain development in preterm and high-risk newborns. These techniques can detect subtle brain injuries, predict neurodevelopmental outcomes, and guide early interventions during the critical period of brain maturation.

Lastly, one of the most groundbreaking developments is the integration of genomic and genetic testing into routine neonatal care. Whole-genome and exome sequencing are increasingly used to identify rare genetic disorders in critically ill neonates, particularly in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Prof. Dr. Yogen Singh
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • neonatal imaging
  • point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)
  • targeted neonatal echocardiography
  • hemodynamic evaluation
  • functional MRI (fMRI)
  • diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
  • genomic testing
  • neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

16 pages, 2943 KB  
Review
Current Practices and Gaps in Integrating Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Neonatal and Pediatric Transport: A Scoping Review
by Belinda Chan, Brighton Alvey, Brooke Barton and Yogen Singh
Diagnostics 2026, 16(3), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16030471 - 3 Feb 2026
Viewed by 2502
Abstract
Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as a valuable tool for rapid diagnosis, procedural guidance, and real-time clinical decision-making in neonatal and pediatric critical care. Despite its growing use in acute medicine, the evidence describing its implementation, utility, and impact in interfacility and [...] Read more.
Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as a valuable tool for rapid diagnosis, procedural guidance, and real-time clinical decision-making in neonatal and pediatric critical care. Despite its growing use in acute medicine, the evidence describing its implementation, utility, and impact in interfacility and prehospital transport settings remains limited. This scoping review aims to systematically map the current body of evidence on POCUS use during neonatal and pediatric transport and to identify knowledge gaps to inform future research, training, and clinical integration. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR 2020 guidelines, searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science for studies describing POCUS use during neonatal and pediatric transport. Results: Of 3676 unique articles identified, 20 met inclusion criteria, including 10 cohort studies, 3 case series, 4 case reports, 2 narrative reviews, and 1 textbook chapter. Fifteen studies reported extractable patient-level data and were included in quantitative synthesis, encompassing 4278 patients. Among these, 1153 (27.0%) patients were under 18 years old, and 576 (13.5%) had POCUS performed during transport. POCUS was primarily used for diagnostic assessment—mainly lung and cardiac imaging—with variability in protocols, operator training, and transport characteristics. Eleven studies (73.3%) reported that POCUS altered clinical management, influencing management in 106 (18.4%) patients through diagnostic clarification, resuscitation decisions, medical or ventilator adjustments, and changes in transport destination. Conclusions: Evidence suggests that POCUS supports clinical decision-making and timely intervention during neonatal and pediatric transport, though use remains inconsistent. Future studies should focus on developing structured training frameworks, validating transport-specific protocols, and assessing the impact of POCUS on clinical outcomes and transport safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Neonatal Diagnostics)
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