Best Practice Recommendations for the Safe use of Lung Ultrasound.

The safety of ultrasound is of particular importance when examining the lungs, due to specific bioeffects occurring at the alveolar air-tissue interface. Lung is significantly more sensitive than solid tissue to mechanical stress. The causal biological effects due to the total reflection of sound waves have also not been investigated comprehensively.On the other hand, the clinical benefit of lung ultrasound is outstanding. It has gained considerable importance during the pandemic, showing comparable diagnostic value with other radiological imaging modalities.Therefore, based on currently available literature, this work aims to determine possible effects caused by ultrasound on the lung parenchyma and evaluate existing recommendations for acoustic output power limits when performing lung sonography.This work recommends a stepwise approach to obtain clinically relevant images while ensuring lung ultrasound safety. A special focus was set on the safety of new ultrasound modalities, which had not yet been introduced at the time of previous recommendations.Finally, necessary research and training steps are recommended in order to close knowledge gaps in the field of lung ultrasound safety in the future.These recommendations for practice were prepared by ECMUS, the safety committee of the EFSUMB, with participation of international experts in the field of lung sonography and ultrasound bioeffects.

One-Year Follow-Up Lung Ultrasound of Post-COVID Syndrome-A Pilot Study.

(1) Background: Millions of people worldwide were infected with COVID-19. After the acute phase of the disease, many suffer from prolonged symptoms, the post-COVID syndrome, especially the phenotype with lung residuals. Many open questions regarding lung ultrasound (LUS) have to be answered. One essential question is the means for optimal following-up of patients with post-COVID-19 residuals with LUS; (2) Methods: A retrospective data analysis of patients after acute COVID-19 infection diagnosed with post-COVID syndrome in the state hospital of Steyr and the rehabilitation center of Hochegg was performed. LUS examinations following a 12-zone scanning protocol were performed, and the LUS score quantified comet tail artifacts. A total of 16 patients were evaluated twice with LUS from May 2020 until June 2021. (3) Results: All patients' reverberation artifacts were reduced over time. The initial LUS score of 17.75 (SD 4.84) points was decreased over the duration of the second rehabilitation to 8,2 (SD 5.94). The difference in the Wilcoxon test was significant (p < 0.001); (4) Conclusions: Lung ultrasound was a valuable tool in the follow-up of post-COVID-syndrome with lung residuals in the first wave of COVID-19. A reduction in reverberation artifacts was demonstrated. Further studies about the clinical significance have to follow.

[Strong Increase in Lung Ultrasound Due to COVID-19]. / Lungenultraschall begehrt wie nie infolge COVID-19.

Strong Increase in Lung Ultrasound Due to COVID-19 Abstract. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lung ultrasound is experiencing a tremendous upswing and rapid diffusion. This affects both publications and clinical use. The typical changes are described here, also for lung consolidations of other genesis and in interstitial lung diseases. Comparisons with other imaging techniques and indications of the accuracy of lung ultrasound are also presented hereafter.

[POCUS - Thoracic Sonography in Times of Corona: What Sonographing Family Physicians Should Examine]. / POCUS ­ Thoraxsonografie in der Coronazeit: was sonografierende Hausärztinnen und -ärzte untersuchen sollten.

POCUS - Thoracic Sonography in Times of Corona: What Sonographing Family Physicians Should Examine Abstract. When performing chest sonography of patients with symptoms such as respiratory infection, dyspnea and chest pain, the primary goal is to find or exclude significant diagnoses such as pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, tumors, pulmonary emboli, etc. as the cause of the symptoms. If infection with SARS-CoV-2 is present, COVID-19 pneumonia can be confirmed or excluded as the cause of the symptoms with a high degree of probability based on the sonographic signs. COVID-19 pneumonia shows typical changes in the lungs, which are easily accessible to ultrasound due to their usually peripheral location. These are ubiquitous signs, such as a thickened, fragmented pleura with subpleural consolidations, multiple comet tail artifacts of varying size and thickness, some of which are coascent, broad bright light beams, and possibly small encapsulated pleural effusions. The more of these sonographic signs are present and the more pronounced they are, the sooner the patient must be hospitalized and possibly intubated. Ultrasound is also useful as a follow-up tool, together with clinical and laboratory findings.

WFUMB position paper on reverberation artefacts in lung ultrasound: B-lines or comet-tails?

The analysis of vertical reverberation artefacts is an essential component of the differential diagnosis in pulmonary ultra-sound. Traditionally, they are often, but not exclusively, called B-line artefacts (BLA) and/or comet tail artefacts (CTA), but this view is misleading. In this position paper we clarify the terminology and relation of the two lung reverberation artefacts BLA and CTA to spe-cific clinical scenarios. BLA are defined by a normal pleura line and are a typical hallmark of cardiogenic pulmonary edema after exclusion of certain pathologies including pneumonia or lung contusion, whereas CTAs show an irregular pleura line representing a variety of parenchymal lung diseases. The dual approach using low frequency transducers to determine BLA and high frequency transducer to determine the pleural surface is recommended.

Point of care ultrasound for rapid assessment and treatment of palliative care patients in acute medical settings.

The combination of an ageing population with improving survival in malignant and non-malignant disease processes results in a growing cohort of patients with advanced or end-stage chronic diseases who require acute medical care. Emergency care has historically been stereotyped as the identification and treatment of acute life-threatening problems. Although palliative care may be considered to be new to the formal curriculum of emergency medicine, in many domains the ultrasound skillset of a physician in acute medical care can be efficaciously deployed the benefit of patients with both malignant and non-malignant disease processes that require palliative care in the full breadth of acute healthcare settings. In diagnostic domains (abdominal pain, urinary tract obstruction, dyspnoea, venous thromboembolism and musculoskeletal pain) and for specific intervention guidance (thoracentesis, paracentesis, venous access, regional anaesthesia and musculoskeletal interventions) we suggest that POCUS has the potential to streamline improve patient satisfaction, streamline diagnostic strategies, optimise patient length of stay, expedite timely symptomatic relief and reduce complications in this important patient population. POCUS is a mandatory competence in the European curriculum of internal medicine, and specific training programs which cover applications in the domains of palliative care in acute care settings are available. Supervision, quality assurance and appropriate documentation are required. We expect that as the availability of mobile units suitable for point of care applications increases, these applications should become standard of care in the acute management of patients who require palliative care.

Recommendations for Lung Ultrasound in Internal Medicine.

A growing amount of evidence prompts us to update the first version of recommendations for lung ultrasound in internal medicine (POLLUS-IM) that was published in 2018. The recommendations were established in several stages, consisting of: literature review, assessment of literature data quality (with the application of QUADAS, QUADAS-2 and GRADE criteria) and expert evaluation carried out consistently with the modified Delphi method (three rounds of on-line discussions, followed by a secret ballot by the panel of experts after each completed discussion). Publications to be analyzed were selected from the following databases: Pubmed, Medline, OVID, and Embase. New reports published as of October 2019 were added to the existing POLLUS-IM database used for the original publication of 2018. Altogether, 528 publications were systematically reviewed, including 253 new reports published between September 2017 and October 2019. The new recommendations concern the following conditions and issues: pneumonia, heart failure, monitoring dialyzed patients' hydration status, assessment of pleural effusion, pulmonary embolism and diaphragm function assessment. POLLUS-IM 2020 recommendations were established primarily for clinicians who utilize lung ultrasound in their everyday clinical work.

[Lung Ultrasound in Differential Diagnosis of Dyspnea]. / Lungenultraschall zur Differenzialdiagnose der Atemnot.

Lung Ultrasound in Differential Diagnosis of Dyspnea Abstract. Lung ultrasound offers an immediate diagnosis in accordance with the clinical examination in many causes of dyspnea: pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism and interstitial lung diseases. At first level exam, CXR, despite its intrinsic limitations and low accuracy, may still play a relevant role. CT scan remains the gold standard, but it requires patient transportation and use of radiation, which precludes an extensive use especially within the same patient. Lung ultrasound, after proper training of the physician, is able to provide greater accuracy than CXR and similar accuracy to the CT scan.

New Perspectives for Modern Trauma Management - Lessons Learned from 25 Years FAST and 15 Years E-FAST.

E-FAST (Extended-Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) is now a widely utilized and internationally recognized standard exam in trauma care. It is highly accepted by emergency physicians and trauma surgeons alike. Thanks to the popularity of PoCUS (point-of-care ultrasound), it has continued to evolve over the last years and can now improve trauma diagnosis at all stages of the primary ABCDE. This review article summarizes key observations made over recent years and also highlights the extension of FAST into E-FAST in the context of PoCUS and CT developments for modern trauma management. Time has come to learn the lessons from 25 years of FAST and 15 years of E-FAST. We should redefine and position ultrasound in the primary ATLS survey (Advanced Trauma Life Support) on two levels: 1. Basic ATLS with new clinical questions, six additional abdominal image sections and one or more follow-up examinations depending on the clinical situation, and 2. Advanced ATLS with ultrasound applications for the entire trauma ABCDE.

[Use of lung and pleural ultrasonography in emergency and intensive care medicine]. / Einsatz der Lungen- und Pleurasonographie in der Notfall- und Intensivmedizin.

Bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) in emergency rooms and intensive care units can serve as a tool to diagnose common lung pathologies, monitor their course and guide clinical management. LUS requires only a few minutes and is a useful extension of the physical examination. Fractures of the ribs as well as the sternum are seen well on ultrasound. Minute pleural fluids (effusion, hemtothorax) are detectable. LUS is able to detect the sound of lung water and thus to differentiate a cardiogenic pulmonary edema from chronic obstructive lung disease. Inflammatory lung diseases such as pleuritis and pneumonia are better seen than on chest X­ray. LUS should replace chest X­ray in the diagnosis of ambulant acquired pneumonia. In ventilator-associated pneumonia and atelectasis, LUS measures the presence of lung consolidation as well as dynamic changes und reventilation. A heart-lung-vessel integrated triple ultrasonography according to clinical findings can help with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and should be a necessary weapon for the physicians, especially in emergency departments.

[Pneumonia: Does Ultrasound Replace Chest X-Ray?] / Pneumonie: Ersetzt der Ultraschall das Thoraxröntgen?

Pneumonia: Does Ultrasound Replace Chest X-Ray? Abstract. Pneumonic lung consolidations are characterized by typical changes in terms of sonomorphology: echopoor lesions with blurred margins, bronchoaerograms, regular vascularization, and parapneumonic effusions. Pneumonias may be first discovered at bedside. Reventilation is well correlated with clinical progression. Compared with CT in four metaanalyses, lung ultrasound shows accuracy with a sensitivity of 88-97 % and a specificity of 90-96 %. Chest x-ray on the other hand has a pooled sensitivity of 77 % and a specificity of 91 %. Thus, lung ultrasound should replace chest x-ray in the diagnosis of pneumonia aquired by out-patients.

[Ultrasound in palliative care medicine, Part II]. / Bedeutung der Sonografie in der Palliativmedizin (Palliative Sonografie) Teil 2.

Complementary to part 1, this review summarizes indications, opportunities and applications of ultrasounds in palliative care medicine. In particular, the following topics are discussed: · Ultrasound as a non-invasive, low-threshold, bedside technique, which uniquely combines diagnostic efficacy and empathy.. · Sonographic surveillance of patients with malignant disease.. · Point-of-care application of ultrasound in palliative care services.. · Ultrasound-guided palliative interventions (drainage of effusions and other therapeutic procedures)..

Lung artefacts and their use.

The science of lung ultrasound has grown tremendously over the last two decades and lung ultrasound has not only entered the mainstream of point of care ultrasound but has become a dominant topic. Understanding lung ultrasound signs and artifacts is critical to being able to correlate findings with actual pathology and normal anatomy and physiology. Investigators have described multiple lung ultrasound artifacts and findings and it is important to understand both the physics and anatomic basis behind them. Additionally, ultrasound machine use and transducer selection can significantly affect results obtained on patient during an examination and the provider must carefully choose the correct settings. This manuscript describes the state of the art in ultrasound artifact recognition and correlation as well as management of ultrasound technology to optimize diagnostic success.

Lung B-line artefacts and their use.

BACKGROUND: The analysis of lung artefacts has gained increasing importance as markers of lung pathology. B-line artefact (BLA), caused by a reverberation phenomenon, is the most important lung artefact. In this review, we discuss the current role of BLA in pneumology and explore open questions of the published consensus. METHODS: We summarized current literature about BLA. Also, we presented observations on healthy subjects and patients with interstitial syndrome (pulmonary fibrosis and edema), to investigate technical factors influencing BLA visualization. RESULTS: BLA imaging is influenced by more factors than recently assumed. When multiple BLA is visualized in the lung, they represent a sign of increased density due to the loss of aeration in the lung periphery. This condition may indicate different diseases including cardiogenic pulmonary edema, diffuse or focal interstitial lung diseases (ILD), infections and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Correct interpretation of BLA in lung ultrasound is strongly influenced by associated sonographic signs and careful integration of all relevant clinical information. CONCLUSIONS: BLA is useful to monitor clinical response, and may become crucial in directing the diagnostic process. Further research is warranted to clarify technical adjustments, different probe and machine factors that influence the visualization of BLA.

[Ultrasound in thromboembolism]. / Sonografie bei Thromboembolie.

Imaging of pulmonary embolism (PTE) remains a great challange. Mortatity is even high. Possibilities of lung ultrasound, echocardiography, and compression leg vein sonography are discussed. Hemodynamic instable patients should achieve echocardiography at bed side with an accuracy of 90% and immeadiatly treated. In case of a suspected PTE, compression sonography of the leg veins is recommended. It can be performed within 2 min but, on average, yields a positive result in only one-half of the cases of PTE. During the last years, pulmonary sonography took root as a complementary method to MSCT either when the latter is not available or when it is contraindicated because of contrast agent allergy, renal insufficiency, or pregnancy. This method was able to provide evidence of subpleural pulmonary consolidations due to embolism in at least three-fourths of patients having a PTE. According to clinical presentation, combination of lung ultrasound, echocardiograpphy, and compression ultrasoud of the leg veins showed a sensitiviy of more than 90%.

Ultrasound of the pleurae and lungs.

The value of ultrasound techniques in examination of the pleurae and lungs has been underestimated over recent decades. One explanation for this is the assumption that the ventilated lungs and the bones of the rib cage constitute impermeable obstacles to ultrasound. However, a variety of pathologies of the chest wall, pleurae and lungs result in altered tissue composition, providing substantially increased access and visibility for ultrasound examination. It is a great benefit that the pleurae and lungs can be non-invasively imaged repeatedly without discomfort or radiation exposure for the patient. Ultrasound is thus particularly valuable in follow-up of disease, differential diagnosis and detection of complications. Diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in patients with pathologic pleural and pulmonary findings can tolerably be performed under real-time ultrasound guidance. In this article, an updated overview is given presenting not only the benefits and indications, but also the limitations of pleural and pulmonary ultrasound.

Emergency ultrasound of the chest.

Thoracic ultrasound is a noninvasive and portable diagnostic tool which is highly indicated for an initial workup of thoracic emergencies. The suspicion of a pneumothorax, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism or a lung contusion after trauma can be quickly assessed using ultrasound. Main advantages are its good availability and the steep learning curve. Another advantage of thoracic sonography is that this rapid, symptom-based examination has a high sensitivity and specificity. However, a disadvantage is that only pleura-affecting lesions or lesions visible through a sound window, e.g. an effusion or a subpleural consolidation, can be reached.