• Respiration · Jan 2020

    Observational Study

    Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Pneumonia: Correlations with Chest CT on Hospital admission.

    • Antonio Nouvenne, Marco Davìd Zani, Gianluca Milanese, Alberto Parise, Marco Baciarello, Elena Giovanna Bignami, Anna Odone, Nicola Sverzellati, Tiziana Meschi, and Andrea Ticinesi.
    • Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy.
    • Respiration. 2020 Jan 1; 99 (7): 617-624.

    BackgroundLung ultrasound (LUS) is an accurate, safe, and cheap tool assisting in the diagnosis of several acute respiratory diseases. The diagnostic value of LUS in the workup of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in the hospital setting is still uncertain.ObjectivesThe aim of this observational study was to explore correlations of the LUS appearance of COVID-19-related pneumonia with CT findings.MethodsTwenty-six patients (14 males, age 64 ± 16 years) urgently hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, who underwent chest CT and bedside LUS on the day of admission, were enrolled in this observational study. CT images were reviewed by expert chest radiologists, who calculated a visual CT score based on extension and distribution of ground-glass opacities and consolidations. LUS was performed by clinicians with certified competency in thoracic ultrasonography, blind to CT findings, following a systematic approach recommended by ultrasound guidelines. LUS score was calculated according to presence, distribution, and severity of abnormalities.ResultsAll participants had CT findings suggestive of bilateral COVID-19 pneumonia, with an average visual scoring of 43 ± 24%. LUS identified 4 different possible -abnormalities, with bilateral distribution (average LUS score 15 ± 5): focal areas of nonconfluent B lines, diffuse confluent B lines, small subpleural microconsolidations with pleural line irregularities, and large parenchymal consolidations with air bronchograms. LUS score was significantly correlated with CT visual scoring (r = 0.65, p < 0.001) and oxygen saturation in room air (r = -0.66, p < 0.001).ConclusionWhen integrated with clinical data, LUS could represent a valid diagnostic aid in patients with suspect COVID-19 pneumonia, which reflects CT findings.© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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