Pulmonary scan in evaluating alveolar-interstitial syndrome in ER


Submitted: 17 February 2013
Accepted: 17 February 2013
Published: 20 October 2006
Abstract Views: 1245
PDF: 6756
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Authors

Diffuse comet-tail artifacts at lung ultrasound are due to thickened interlobular septa and extravascular lung water. This condition is typical of the alveolar-interstitial syndrome due to pulmonary edema, diffuse parenchymal lung disease or ARDS. Aim of our study is to assess the potential of bedside lung ultrasound to diagnose the alveolar-interstitial syndrome in patients admitted to our emergency medicine unit. The ultrasonic feature of multiple and diffuse comet-tail artifacts was investigated during 5 months, in 121 consecutive patients admitted to our unit. Each patient was studied bedside in a supine position, by 8 antero-lateral pulmonary intercostal scans. Ultrasonic results were compared with chest radiograph and clinical outcome. Lung ultrasound showed a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 98% in diagnosing the radiologic alveolar-interstitial syndrome. Corresponding figures in the identification of a disease involving lung interstitium were 83% and 96%. These preliminary data show that the study of comet-tail artifacts at lung ultrasound is a method reasonably accurate for diagnosing the alveolar-interstitial syndrome at bedside. This conclusion opens the hypothesis of the usefullness of bedside lung ultrasound in the evaluation of dyspnoeic patients in the emergency setting.

Volpicelli, G., Mussa, A., Casoli, G., Garofalo, G., Cardinale, L., Perotto, F., & Frascisco, M. (2006). Pulmonary scan in evaluating alveolar-interstitial syndrome in ER. Emergency Care Journal, 2(5), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.4081/ecj.2006.5.25

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