The emerging role of lung ultrasound in COVID-19 pneumonia

Abstract

The aim of the European Journal of Rheumatology is to cover various aspects of rheumatology for its readers, encompassing the spectrum of diseases with arthritis, musculoskeletal conditions, autoinflammatory diseases, connective tissue disorders, osteoporosis, translational research, the latest therapies and treatment programs. European Journal of Rheumatology publishes original articles, invited reviews, case based reviews, letters to the editor and images in rheumatology. The publication language of the journal is English.

Lung ultrasound in the emergency department - a valuable tool in the management of patients presenting with respiratory symptoms during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

“…pulmonary embolism). A strict indication procedure for a chest CT scan limited the case number of additional chest CT scans, and was part of the strategy to reduce contact and spread of infections within the hospital [20].…”

“…The results of LUS also have an acceptable sensitivity and specificity when compared to the CT results. Using a CT scan in every patient is cost-and resource intense, would expose many patients unnecessarily to radiation and could lead to further spread of the infection [20]. Additionally, CT is not easily available for the treating physicians in many ambulatory settings.…”

Daily Evaluation of COVID-19 Patients Primarily Based on Lung Ultrasound: In Times of Emergency, It's Time to Change Some Paradigms

“…We are experiencing an increasing interest in LUS in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, as demonstrated by the growing number of studies on this specific topic. 5 , 6 However, these studies mainly focus on the potential role of LUS as a diagnostic tool for initial assessment or as a monitoring tool in high-intensity settings. 7…”

The role of imaging in COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis and management: Main positions of the experts, key imaging features and open answers

“…Imaging is a fundamental tool for COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis, although the DD may be challenging. [ 16 ] LUS has shown a promising role in both diagnosis and monitoring of COVID-19 pneumonia,[ 28 ] demonstrating many potential advantages. First, it is a rapid and radiation-free imaging technique that may play a crucial role in certain categories of COVID-19 patients, i.e., in pediatric patients[ 29 ] and pregnant women.…”