Repeatability and consistency of three transthoracic lung ultrasound technologies in diagnosis of interstitial lung disease / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the repeatability and consistency of three transthoracic lung ultrasound (TLUS) technologies in diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD). Methods: Totally 40 ILD patients were selected and examined separately using the simplified 14 intercostals space method, 28 intercostals space method and 72 intercostals space method by two ultrasound physicians. The repeatability, consistency and examination time of each ultrasonography method were calculated. Results: The intra-/inter-physicians repeatability and consistency of 3 ultrasonography methods in evaluating B line were high. The intra-physicians repeatability (ICC=0.989 1, 95%CI[0.977 2, 0.994 8]) and consistency (boundary width of 0.57±2.79,95%CI[-0.47, 1.61]) of measuring B lines using 14 intercostals space method were the highest, while the inter-physicians repeatability (ICC=0.979 5, 95%CI[0.957 5, 0.990 2]) and consistency (boundary width of 0.70±3.77, 95%CI[-0.71,2.11]) of measuring B lines using 14 intercostals space method were the highest. The intra-/inter-physicians consistency of pleural line observation using 14 intercostals space method were high (Kappa=0.948, 0.895, both P<0.001). The examination time of 3 ultrasonography methods were different, the 14 intercostals space method took the shortest time, while the 72 intercostals space method took the longest time (P<0.001). Conclusion: Diagnosing ILD with 14 intercostals space method is of great clinical value for high repeatability and consistency and short examination time.