Neonatal point-of-care lung ultrasound: what should be known and done out of the NICU?

Lung ultrasound is rapidly becoming a useful tool in the care of neonates: its ease of use, reproducibility, low cost, and negligible side effects make it a very suitable tool for the respiratory care of all neonates. This technique has been extensively studied by different approaches in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), both for diagnostic and prognostic aims and to guide respiratory treatments. However, many neonates are being born in level I/II hospitals without NICU facilities so all pediatricians, not just neonatal intensivists, should be aware of its potential. This is made possible by the increasing access to ultrasound machines in a modern hospital setting. In this review, we describe the ultrasonographic characteristics of the normal neonatal lung. We also discuss the ultrasound features of main neonatal respiratory diseases: transient tachypnea of the neonate (TTN), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), pneumothorax (PNX), pleural effusion (PE), or pneumonia. Finally, we mention two functional approaches to lung ultrasound: 1. The use of lung ultrasound in level I delivery centers as a mean to assess the severity of neonatal respiratory distress and request a transport to a higher degree structure in a timely fashion. 2. The prognostic accuracy of lung ultrasound for early and targeted surfactant replacement. CONCLUSION:  LU is still a useful tool in level I/II neonatal units, both for diagnostic and functional issues. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Neonatal lung ultrasound has been recently introduced in the usual care in many Neonatal Intensive Care Units. WHAT IS NEW: • It also has many advantages in level I/II neonatal units, both for neonatologist or even pediatricians that treat neonates in those sites.

The increase in diaphragm thickness in preterm infants is related to birth weight: a pilot study.

Diaphragm ultrasound (DU) has been used in adult and pediatric critical patients in relation to prediction of extubation success or to detect diaphragm dysfunction, but there is a lack of evidence in neonates. Our aim is to study the evolution of diaphragm thickness in preterm infants, as well as related variables. This prospective monocentric observational study included preterm infants born before 32 weeks (PT32). We performed DU to measure right and left inspiratory and expiratory thickness (RIT, LIT, RET, and LET) and calculated the diaphragm-thickening fraction (DTF) in the first 24 h of life and then weekly until 36 weeks postmenstrual age, death, or discharge. Using multilevel mixed-effect regression, we evaluated the influence of time since birth on diaphragm measurements, as well as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), birth weight (BW), and days of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). We included 107 infants, and we performed 519 DUs. All diaphragm thickness increased with time since birth, but the only additional variable that influenced this growth was BW: beta coefficients RIT = 0.00006; RET = 0.00005; LIT = 0.00005; and LET = 0.00004, p < 0.001. Right DTF values remained stable since birth but left DTF increased with time only in infants with BPD.   Conclusion: In our population we found that the higher the BW, the higher diaphragm thicknesses at birth and follow-up. Contrary to the previously published findings in adult and pediatric settings, we were unable to describe a relationship between days of IMV and diaphragm thickness in PT32. The final diagnosis of BPD does not influence this increase either, but it does increase left DTF. What is Known: • Diaphragm thickness and diaphragm thickening fraction have been related to the time on invasive mechanical ventilation in adults and pediatric patients, as well as with extubation failure. • Very few evidence is yet available on the use of diaphragmatic ultrasound in preterm infants. What is New: • Birth weight is the only variable related to diaphragm thickness in preterm infants born before 32 weeks postmenstrual age. • Days of invasive mechanical ventilation do not influence diaphragm increase in thickness in preterm infants.

Lung ultrasound score has better diagnostic ability than NT-proBNP to predict moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

The N-terminal end of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and lung ultrasound (LUS) score have been proven to be adequate early biomarkers of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. Our aim was to study if the predictive capacity of each one is increased by analyzing them together. We included infants born before 32 weeks with NT-proBNP and LUS scores on the first day of life (DOL) and on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th DOL and compared the diagnostic ability for moderate-severe BPD (msBPD) of each biomarker and in combination. We also compared them with a multivariate model of msBPD using only clinical variables. The sample size was 133 patients, and twenty-seven (20%) developed msBPD. The LUS score on the 7th DOL had better performance than NT-proBNP at the same moment: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.83 (0.75-0.89) versus 0.66 (0.56-0.75), p = 0.003, without differences in the rest of the times studied. These values did not increase when using the combination of both. A multivariate regression model that included only clinical variables (birth weight and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) at the 7th DOL) predicted msBPD with the same AUC as after the addition of any of these biomarkers, neither together. CONCLUSION: The LUS score is a better predictor of msBPD on the 7th DOL than NT-proBNP in preterm infants born before 32 weeks, although they have similar diagnostic accuracy on the 1st, 3rd, and 14th DOL. Neither of them, nor together, have a better AUC for msBPD than a clinical model with birthweight and the need for IMV at the 7th DOL. WHAT IS KNOWN: • NT-proBNP and LUS score are early predictors of moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (msBPD). WHAT IS NEW: • The combination of both NT-proBNP and LUS score does not increase the predictive ability of each separately.

Ultrasound-guided vascular access in the neonatal intensive care unit: a nationwide survey.

Ultrasound-guided vascular access (USG-VA) is recommended by international practice guidelines but information regarding its use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is lacking. Our objective was to assess neonatologist's perceptions and current implementation of USG-VA in Spain. This was a nationwide online survey. The survey was composed of 37 questions divided in 4 domains: (1) neonatologist's background, (2) NICU characteristics, (3) personal perspectives about USG-VA, and (4) clinical experience in USG-VA. One-hundred and eighty survey responses from 59 NICUs (62% of Spanish NICUs) were analyzed. Most neonatologists (81%) perceive that competence in USG-VA is indispensable or very useful in clinical practice. However, 64 (35.5%) have never used USG-VA in real patients. Among neonatologists with some experience in USG-VA most perform less than 5 procedures per year (59% in venous access and 80% in arterial access) and a 38% and 60% have never used USG for venous and arterial access, respectively, in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI). More than a half of neonatologists (55.5%) use US to check catheter tip location but a 46.6% always perform a radiography for confirmation. Spanish neonatologists report that resident/fellow training in USG-VA is absent (52.2%) or unstructured (32%) in their units. The lack of adequate training is identified by a 60% of neonatologists as the most important barrier for implementation of USG-VA and 87% would recommend that future neonatologists receive formal training. CONCLUSION: Spanish neonatologists perceive that USG-VA is important in clinical practice but currently, these techniques are largely underused. Our results indicate that specific training in USG-VA should be implemented in the NICU. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Ultrasound-guided vascular access is recommended as the preferred method for central venous access and arterial line placement in children and adults. • The degree of current implementation of ultrasound for vascular access in the NICU and the perceptions of neonatologist about its use are largely unknown. WHAT IS NEW: • Most neonatologists consider that competence in ultrasound-guided vascular access is an indispensable aid for clinical practice. • However, most neonatologists are not adequately trained in ultrasound-guided vascular access and the technique is largely underused.

Neonatal pneumothoraces with atypical location: the role of lung ultrasound.

Neonatal pneumothorax (NP) is a potentially life-threatening condition. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has shown higher sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis compared to x-rays, but evidence regarding its usefulness in complex NP is lacking. We report four neonates suffering from cardiac or esophageal malformations who developed lateral and/or posterior pneumothoraces, in which LUS helped, making NP diagnosis and management easier and faster. CONCLUSION: LUS is an easy-to-use, fast, simple, and accurate tool when evaluating newborns with NP, also in atypical positions such as in surgical patients. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Lung ultrasound (LUS) has higher sensitivity and specificity than x-rays in the diagnosis of pneumothorax in neonatal patients. WHAT IS NEW: • This is the first report about neonatal pneumothorax in non-conventional areas (lateral/posterior) diagnosed by lung ultrasound and how obtaining this information is critical in order to optimize management.

Hemoglobin M Disease as a Cause of Cyanosis in a Newborn.

Methemoglobinemia, including the inherited or congenital form, is a known but infrequent cause of neonatal cyanosis. We present the case of a newborn patient with neonatal cyanosis, who was diagnosed with F-M-Osaka methemoglobinemia, and an up-to-date literature review of the disease.

Quantitative Lung Ultrasonography to Guide Surfactant Therapy in Neonates Born Late Preterm and Later.

Importance: Surfactant administration may be needed in late preterm through full-term neonates, but the pathophysiology of their respiratory failure can be different from that of early preterm neonates. The lung ultrasonography score (LUS) is accurate to guide surfactant replacement in early preterm neonates, but to our knowledge, it has not yet been studied in the late preterm through full-term neonatal population. Objective: To assess whether LUS is equally accurate to predict surfactant need in late preterm through full-term neonates as in early preterm neonates. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective, international, multicenter diagnostic study was performed between December 2022 and November 2023 in tertiary academic neonatal intensive care units in France, Italy, Spain, and the US. Late preterm through full-term neonates (≥34 weeks' gestation) with respiratory failure early after birth were enrolled. Exposure: Point-of-care lung ultrasonography to calculate the neonatal LUS (range, 0-18, with higher scores indicating worse aeration), which was registered in dedicated research databases and unavailable for clinical decision-making. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were the area under the curve (AUC) in receiver operating characteristic analysis and derived accuracy variables, considering LUS as a replacement for other tests (ie, highest global accuracy) and as a triage test (ie, highest sensitivity). Sample size was calculated to assess noninferiority of LUS to predict surfactant need in the study population compared with neonates born more prematurely. Correlations of LUS with the ratio of hemoglobin oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2) to fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) and with the oxygen saturation index (OSI) were assessed. Results: A total of 157 neonates (96 [61.1%] male) were enrolled and underwent lung ultrasonography at a median of 3 hours (IQR, 2-7 hours) of life; 32 (20.4%) needed surfactant administration (pretest probability, 20%). The AUC was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.81-0.92). The highest global accuracy and sensitivity were reached for LUS values higher than 8 or 4 or lower, respectively. Subgroup analysis gave similar diagnostic accuracy in neonates born late preterm (AUC, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81-0.97; n = 111) and early term and later (AUC, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.96; n = 46). After adjusting for gestational age, LUS was significantly correlated with SpO2:FiO2 (adjusted ß, -10.4; 95% CI, -14.0 to -6.7; P < .001) and OSI (adjusted ß, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.3; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this diagnostic study of late preterm through full-term neonates with respiratory failure early after birth, LUS accuracy to predict surfactant need was not inferior to that observed in earlier preterm neonates. An LUS higher than 8 was associated with highest global accuracy (replacement test), suggesting that it can be used to guide surfactant administration. An LUS value of 4 or lower was associated with the highest sensitivity (triage test), suggesting it is unlikely for this population to need surfactant.

Renal Function Impairment in Children With Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of glomerular and tubular renal dysfunction by means of urinalysis in infants and toddlers with congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) and their association with cCMV disease, viruria and antiviral treatment. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done using the Spanish Registry of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection. First-morning urine samples were collected from January 2016 to December 2018 from patients <5 years old enrolled in Spanish Registry of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection. Samples were excluded in case of fever or other signs or symptoms consistent with acute infection, bacteriuria or bacterial growth in urine culture. Urinary protein/creatinine and albumin/creatinine ratios, urinary beta-2-microglobulin levels, hematuria and CMV viruria were determined. A 0.4 cutoff in the urinary albumin/protein ratio was used to define tubular (<0.4) or glomerular (>0.4) proteinuria. Signs and symptoms of cCMV at birth, the use of antivirals and cCMV-associated sequelae at last available follow-up were obtained from Spanish Registry of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients (37 females, 48.1%; median [interquartile range] age: 14.0 [4.4-36.2] months) were included. Symptom-free elevated urinary protein/creatinine and albumin/creatinine ratios were observed in 37.5% and 41.9% of patients, respectively, with tubular proteinuria prevailing (88.3%) over glomerular proteinuria (11.6%). Proteinuria in the nephrotic range was not observed in any patients. In multivariate analysis, female gender was the only risk factor for tubular proteinuria (adjusted odds ratio = 3.339, 95% confidence interval: 1.086-10.268; P = 0.035). cCMV disease at birth, long-term sequelae, viruria or the use of antivirals were not associated with urinalysis findings. CONCLUSIONS: Mild nonsymptomatic tubular proteinuria affects approximately 40% of infants and toddlers with mostly symptomatic cCMV in the first 5 years of life.

Use of neonatal lung ultrasound in European neonatal units: a survey by the European Society of Paediatric Research.

OBJECTIVE: Regarding the use of lung ultrasound (LU) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across Europe, to assess how widely it is used, for what indications and how its implementation might be improved. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION: International online survey. RESULTS: Replies were received from 560 NICUs in 24 countries between January and May 2023. LU uptake varied considerably (20%-98% of NICUs) between countries. In 428 units (76%), LU was used for clinical indications, while 34 units (6%) only used it for research purposes. One-third of units had <2 years of experience, and only 71 units (13%) had >5 years of experience. LU was mainly performed by neonatologists. LU was most frequently used to diagnose respiratory diseases (68%), to evaluate an infant experiencing acute clinical deterioration (53%) and to guide surfactant treatment (39%). The main pathologies diagnosed by LU were pleural effusion, pneumothorax, transient tachypnoea of the newborn and respiratory distress syndrome. The main barriers for implementation were lack of experience with technical aspects and/or image interpretation. Most units indicated that specific courses and an international guideline on neonatal LU could promote uptake of this technique. CONCLUSIONS: Although LU has been adopted in neonatal care in most European countries, the uptake is highly variable. The main indications are diagnosis of lung disease, evaluation of acute clinical deterioration and guidance of surfactant. Implementation may be improved by developing courses and publishing an international guideline.

External Validation of a Multivariate Model for Targeted Surfactant Replacement.

INTRODUCTION: Early targeted surfactant therapy for preterm infants is recommended but the best criteria to personalize treatment are unclear. We validate a previously published multivariate prognostic model based on gestational age (GA), lung ultrasound score (LUS), and oxygen saturation to inspire oxygen fraction ratio (SatO2/FiO2) using an independent data set. METHODS: Pragmatic, observational study in 10 Italian and Spanish NICUs, including preterm babies (250 and 336 weeks divided into 3 GA intervals) with clinical signs of respiratory distress syndrome and stabilized on CPAP. LUS and SatO2/FiO2 were collected soon after stabilization. Their prognostic accuracy was evaluated on the subsequent surfactant administration by a rigorously masked physician. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-five infants were included in the study. Surfactant was given to 74% infants born at 25-27 weeks, 38.5% at 28-30 weeks, and 26.5% at 31-33 weeks. The calibration curve comparing the validation and the development populations showed significant overlap with an intercept = 0.08, 95% CI (-0.34; 0.5) and a slope = 1.53, 95% CI (1.07-1.98). The validation cohort had a high predictive accuracy. Its ROC curve showed an AUC = 0.95, 95% CI (0.91-0.99) with sensitivity = 0.93, 95% CI (0.83-0.98), specificity = 0.81, 95% CI (0.73-0.88), PPV = 0.76, 95% CI (0.65-0.84), NPV = 0.95, 95% CI (0.88-0.98). LUS ≥9 demonstrated the highest sensitivity (0.91, 95% CI [0.82-0.97]) and specificity = 0.81, 95% CI (0.72-0.88) as individual predictor. LUS and SatO2/FiO2 prognostic performances varied with GA. CONCLUSION: We validated a prognostic model based on LUS and Sat/FiO2 to facilitate early, customized surfactant administration that may improve respiratory management of preterm neonates.

Lung ultrasound description of a newborn with bronchial atresia: A case report.

Introduction: Congenital pulmonary malformations are a heterogeneous group of embryological alterations at different stages of lung development, the most frequent being the congenital malformation of the airway. Lung ultrasound is a very useful tool in neonatal intensive care units, providing great value for differential diagnosis, as well as therapeutic response or early detection of complications. Case Report: The case is a newborn of 38weeks' gestation who was followed by prenatal ultrasound control for suspected adenomatous cystic malformation type III in the left lung from week 22. She did not present complications during pregnancy. The study of Genetics and serological test were negative. She was born by urgent caesarean section due to breech presentation without requiring resuscitation, weighing 2.915 g. She was admitted to the Unit for study, remaining stable throughout her stay, with a normal physical examination. Atelectasis of the left upper lobe was appreciated by chest X-ray. Pulmonary ultrasound on the second day of life showed signs of consolidation in the left posterosuperior field with air bronchogram, without other alterations. In subsequent ultrasound controls, an interstitial infiltrate was observed in the left posterosuperior region, compatible with progressive aeration of the area, which was maintained until 1 month of life. The computed tomographic scan performed at 6months of age shows hyperlucency and increased volume in the left upper lobe with slight hypovascularization, accompanied by paramediastinal subsegmental atelectasis. There was a hypodense image at the hilar level. These findings were compatible with bronchial atresia, later confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. At 18months of age, surgical intervention was performed. Discussion and Conclusion: We present the first case of bronchial atresia diagnosed by LUS, thus adding new images to the very scarce literature currently available.

Imaging of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a multifactorial disease with many associated co-morbidities, responsible for most cases of chronic lung disease in childhood. The use of imaging exams is pivotal for the clinical care of BPD and the identification of candidates for experimental therapies and a closer follow-up. Imaging is also useful to improve communication with the family and objectively evaluate the clinical evolution of the patient's disease. BPD imaging has been classically performed using only chest X-rays, but several modern techniques are currently available, such as lung ultrasound, thoracic tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and electrical impedance tomography. These techniques are more accurate and provide clinically meaningful information. We reviewed the most recent evidence published in the last five years regarding these techniques and analyzed their advantages and disadvantages.

Lung UltrasouNd Guided surfactant therapy in preterm infants: an international multicenter randomized control trial (LUNG study).

BACKGROUND: The management of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature newborns is based on different types of non-invasive respiratory support and on surfactant replacement therapy (SRT) to avoid mechanical ventilation as it may eventually result in lung damage. European guidelines currently recommend SRT only when the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) exceeds 0.30. The literature describes that early SRT decreases the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and mortality. Lung ultrasound score (LUS) in preterm infants affected by RDS has proven to be able to predict the need for SRT and different single-center studies have shown that LUS may increase the proportion of infants that received early SRT. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine if the use of LUS as a decision tool for SRT in preterm infants affected by RDS allows for the reduction of the incidence of BPD or death in the study group. METHODS/DESIGN: In this study, 668 spontaneously-breathing preterm infants, born at 25+0 to 29+6 weeks' gestation, in nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) will be randomized to receive SRT only when the FiO2 cut-off exceeds 0.3 (control group) or if the LUS score is higher than 8 or the FiO2 requirements exceed 0.3 (study group) (334 infants per arm). The primary outcome will be the difference in proportion of infants with BPD or death in the study group managed compared to the control group. DISCUSSION: Based on previous published studies, it seems that LUS may decrease the time to administer surfactant therapy. It is known that early surfactant administration decreases BPD and mortality. Therefore, there is rationale for hypothesizing a reduction in BPD or death in the group of patients in which the decision to administer exogenous surfactant is based on lung ultrasound scores. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05198375 . Registered on 20 January 2022.

Meta-Analysis of Lung Ultrasound Scores for Early Prediction of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Rationale: Lung ultrasound scores (LUS) might be useful in monitoring neonates with chronic pulmonary insufficiency of prematurity and in predicting bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Given their ease of use, accuracy, and lack of invasiveness, LUS have been the subject of several recent studies. Objectives: We sought to clarify whether LUS provide an accurate and early (within the first 2 wk of life) prediction of BPD in preterm infants of gestational age ⩽32 weeks. Methods: This was a systematic review and diagnostic accuracy meta-analysis following PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols), PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis), and QUADAS (QUAlity of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) guidelines. Studies designed to predict BPD in the first 2 weeks of life using LUS were selected. A classical LUS (calculated for 6 chest areas) and its extended version (eLUS, 10 chest areas) were tested. Results: Seven studies (1,027 neonates) were meta-analyzed. LUS and eLUS showed good diagnostic accuracy in predicting BPD at 7 and 14 days of life (area under the curve, 0.85-0.87; pooled sensitivity, 70-80%; pooled specificity, 80-87%). The diagnostic accuracy of LUS and eLUS did not differ at any time point (area under the curve difference always P > 0.05). Repeating the analyses without outliers or with moderate to severe BPD as the outcome yielded similar results. Meta-regressions showed that prenatal steroid prophylaxis and sex were not significant effect confounders. Conclusions: LUS are accurate for early prediction of BPD and moderate to severe BPD, in an average population of preterm infants ⩽32 weeks' gestation. The diagnostic accuracy is similar for LUS and eLUS, so the use of the simpler score should be advocated. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021233010.

Lung Ultrasound Scores Progress Differently in Extreme and Very Preterm Infants after Birth: A Multicentre Prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: The lung ultrasound score (LUS) has been suggested to predict moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (msBPD) in preterm infants. We aimed to assess LUS evolution after birth in preterm infants and the effect of gestational age. METHODS: This multicentre prospective observational study was performed with newborns born before 33 weeks of gestation. We created two groups: group 1 (23-27 weeks) and group 2 (28-32 weeks). We compared LUSs between the groups from birth until 36 weeks of postmenstrual age, and we estimated the LUS evolution in each group with a linear multilevel mixed-effects regression model. The effects of the need for surfactant or an msBPD diagnosis were also studied. RESULTS: We included 339 patients: 122 (36%) in group 1 and 217 (64%) in group 2. The infants in group 1 showed a steady progression in the LUS from birth until 4 weeks of age and a subsequent decrease; the infants in group 2 showed a progressive decrease in the LUS throughout the study. This progression varied significantly in the first weeks of life in infants who required surfactant at birth and after the first week of life in the patients diagnosed with msBPD. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Extremely preterm infants showed persistently high LUSs during the first weeks of life, regardless of the progression to msBPD. In this group, the infants who did not require surfactant at birth exhibited an increase in their LUSs after the first week until their values were equal to the remaining infants in their group.

Specification and guideline for technical aspects and scanning parameter settings of neonatal lung ultrasound examination.

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is now widely used in the diagnosis and monitor of neonatal lung diseases. Nevertheless, in the published literatures, the LUS images may display a significant variation in technical execution, while scanning parameters may influence diagnostic accuracy. The inter- and intra-observer reliabilities of ultrasound exam have been extensively studied in general and in LUS. As expected, the reliability declines in the hands of novices when they perform the point-of-care ultrasound (POC US). Consequently, having appropriate guidelines regarding to technical aspects of neonatal LUS exam is very important especially because diagnosis is mainly based on interpretation of artifacts produced by the pleural line and the lungs. The present work aimed to create an instrument operation specification and parameter setting guidelines for neonatal LUS. Technical aspects and scanning parameter settings that allow for standardization in obtaining LUS images include (1) select a high-end equipment with high-frequency linear array transducer (12-14 MHz). (2) Choose preset suitable for lung examination or small organs. (3) Keep the probe perpendicular to the ribs or parallel to the intercostal space. (4) Set the scanning depth at 4-5 cm. (5) Set 1-2 focal zones and adjust them close to the pleural line. (6) Use fundamental frequency with speckle reduction 2-3 or similar techniques. (7) Turn off spatial compounding imaging. (8) Adjust the time-gain compensation to get uniform image from the near-to far-field.

The Predictive Value of Lung Ultrasound Scores in Developing Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: A Prospective Multicenter Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

BACKGROUND: Different lung ultrasound (LUS) scanning protocols have been used, and the results in terms of diagnostic accuracy are heterogeneous. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: What is the diagnostic accuracy of the LUS score to predict moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (msBPD)? Does scanning of posterior lung fields improve the diagnostic accuracy? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a multicenter prospective, observational study in six centers. Two LUS aeration scores, one involving only anterolateral lung fields and the other adding the posterior fields were obtained at birth, on the third day of life (DOL), on the seventh DOL, on the 14th DOL, and on the 21st DOL. The diagnostic accuracy of both scores to predict msBPD was assessed at each time point. RESULTS: Eight hundred thirty-two LUS examinations in 298 infants were included. Both LUS score using anterolateral and posterior fields and LUS score using only anterolateral fields showed a similar moderate diagnostic accuracy to predict msBPD on the third DOL (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 95% CI, 0.68-0.85 vs 0.68-0.85; P = .97), seventh DOL (AUC 95% CI, 0.74-0.85 vs 0.74-0.84; P = .26), and 21st DOL (AUC 95% CI, 0.72-0.86 vs 0.74-0.88; P = .17). The LUS score using anterolateral and posterior fields was slightly more accurate at 14th DOL (AUC 95% CI, 0.69-0.83 vs 0.66-0.80; P = .01). A cutoff of 8 points in the LUS score using only anterolateral fields on the seventh DOL provided a sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of 70%, 79%, 3.3, and 0.38, respectively, to predict msBPD. Adding gestational age (GA) and sex improved the discriminative value without significant differences compared with a predictive model based on multiple clinical variables: AUC 95% CI, 0.77-0.88 vs 0.80-0.91 (P = .52). INTERPRETATION: The LUS score is able to predict msBPD from the third DOL with a moderate diagnostic accuracy. Scanning posterior lung fields slightly improved diagnostic accuracy only at the 14th DOL. Adding GA and sex improves the diagnostic accuracy of the LUS scores. The LUS score is useful to stratify BPD risk early after birth.

Lung ultrasound score and diuretics in preterm infants born before 32 weeks: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe if weekly determined lung ultrasound (LU) scores in preterm infants born before 32 weeks (PTB32W) change with diuretic therapy. DESIGN: We included infants who received diuretics and compared LU scores according to their evolution on respiratory support (RS) before and after diuretics. RESULTS: We included 18 PTB32W divided into two groups. Both groups were similar in terms of median gestational age: 26 weeks (interquartile range [IQR]: 25-28) in the responders' group and 27 weeks (IQR: 24-28) in the other. They differed, however, in the median number of days on invasive mechanical ventilation: 27 (IQR: 11-43) versus 76 (IQR: 35-117), p = .03; in addition to the number of infants with moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia: 3 (33%) versus 8 (89%), p = .025. The responders' group showed lower LU scores 2 days after diuretics, with a median LU score of 6 (IQR: 3-12) versus 14 (IQR: 12-17) in the nonresponders group, p = .03; 1 week after (3 [IQR: 0-10] versus 12 [12-12], p = .04); and 3 weeks after (5 [IQR: 3-6] versus 12 [10-15], p = .01). RS also decreased at the same time: 7 out of 9 (78%) were extubated in the responders' group, and 1 out of 9 (11%) in the nonresponders group, p = .02, and these differences remained throughout the entire follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: There is a group of PTB32W patients whose LU score improves after diuretics. This change appears only in those patients that can be weaned off from RS, and at the same period of time as the administration of diuretics.