[Utility of point-of-care ultrasound in lung disease diagnosis]. / Przydatnosc point-of-care USG w diagnostyce chorób pluc.

ABSTRACT

A new method in the diagnostics of respiratory failure is lung ultrasound (LUS). The test assesses the pleural line and its related artefacts caused by the changing content of extravascular lung water which conditions the degree of lung aeration. Assessment of the movement of the pleural line and the related artefacts (A lines and B lines) enables diagnosis of respiratory failure and treatment monitoring. The advantage of LUS is the possibility of assessing lung function in real time, and the possibility of obtaining information about aeration of the examined part of lung parenchyma. In comparison to other imaging methods, ultrasound is characterized by a considerable specificity and sensitivity in diagnostics and differentiation of numerous diseases, such as pneumothorax, pneumonia, ARDS, and pulmonary edema.