Pulmonary scan in evaluating alveolar-interstitial syndrome in ER

Pulmonary scan in evaluating alveolar-interstitial syndrome in ER

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Diffuse comet-tail artifacts at lung ultrasound are due to sten jacket m 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 click here 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.