tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Respiration
. 2020 Jun 22;1-8.
doi: 10.1159/000509223. Online ahead of print.
Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Pneumonia: Correlations With Chest CT on Hospital Admission
Antonio Nouvenne[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marco Dav?d Zani[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Gianluca Milanese[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Alberto Parise[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marco Baciarello[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Elena Giovanna Bignami[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Anna Odone[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Nicola Sverzellati[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Tiziana Meschi[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Andrea Ticinesi[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is an accurate, safe, and cheap tool assisting in the diagnosis of several acute respiratory diseases. The diagnostic value of LUS in the workup of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in the hospital setting is still uncertain.
Objectives: The aim of this observational study was to explore correlations of the LUS appearance of COVID-19-related pneumonia with CT findings.
Methods: Twenty-six patients (14 males, age 64 ? 16 years) urgently hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, who underwent chest CT and bedside LUS on the day of admission, were enrolled in this observational study. CT images were reviewed by expert chest radiologists, who calculated a visual CT score based on extension and distribution of ground-glass opacities and consolidations. LUS was performed by clinicians with certified competency in thoracic ultrasonography, blind to CT findings, following a systematic approach recommended by ultrasound guidelines. LUS score was calculated according to presence, distribution, and severity of abnormalities.
Results: All participants had CT findings suggestive of bilateral COVID-19 pneumonia, with an average visual scoring of 43 ? 24%. LUS identified 4 different possible -abnormalities, with bilateral distribution (average LUS score 15 ? 5): focal areas of nonconfluent B lines, diffuse confluent B lines, small subpleural microconsolidations with pleural line irregularities, and large parenchymal consolidations with air bronchograms. LUS score was significantly correlated with CT visual scoring (r = 0.65, p < 0.001) and oxygen saturation in room air (r = -0.66, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: When integrated with clinical data, LUS could represent a valid diagnostic aid in patients with suspect COVID-19 pneumonia, which reflects CT findings.
Keywords: Chest ultrasound; Coronavirus pneumonia; Point-of-care ultrasonography; SARS-CoV-2; Thoracic ultrasound.
. 2020 Jun 22;1-8.
doi: 10.1159/000509223. Online ahead of print.
Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Pneumonia: Correlations With Chest CT on Hospital Admission
Antonio Nouvenne[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marco Dav?d Zani[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Gianluca Milanese[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Alberto Parise[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marco Baciarello[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Elena Giovanna Bignami[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Anna Odone[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Nicola Sverzellati[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Tiziana Meschi[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Andrea Ticinesi[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32570265
- DOI: 10.1159/000509223
Abstract
Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is an accurate, safe, and cheap tool assisting in the diagnosis of several acute respiratory diseases. The diagnostic value of LUS in the workup of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in the hospital setting is still uncertain.
Objectives: The aim of this observational study was to explore correlations of the LUS appearance of COVID-19-related pneumonia with CT findings.
Methods: Twenty-six patients (14 males, age 64 ? 16 years) urgently hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, who underwent chest CT and bedside LUS on the day of admission, were enrolled in this observational study. CT images were reviewed by expert chest radiologists, who calculated a visual CT score based on extension and distribution of ground-glass opacities and consolidations. LUS was performed by clinicians with certified competency in thoracic ultrasonography, blind to CT findings, following a systematic approach recommended by ultrasound guidelines. LUS score was calculated according to presence, distribution, and severity of abnormalities.
Results: All participants had CT findings suggestive of bilateral COVID-19 pneumonia, with an average visual scoring of 43 ? 24%. LUS identified 4 different possible -abnormalities, with bilateral distribution (average LUS score 15 ? 5): focal areas of nonconfluent B lines, diffuse confluent B lines, small subpleural microconsolidations with pleural line irregularities, and large parenchymal consolidations with air bronchograms. LUS score was significantly correlated with CT visual scoring (r = 0.65, p < 0.001) and oxygen saturation in room air (r = -0.66, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: When integrated with clinical data, LUS could represent a valid diagnostic aid in patients with suspect COVID-19 pneumonia, which reflects CT findings.
Keywords: Chest ultrasound; Coronavirus pneumonia; Point-of-care ultrasonography; SARS-CoV-2; Thoracic ultrasound.