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. 2020 Sep;32(5):340-344.

Diagnostic yield of point-of-care ultrasound imaging of the lung in patients with COVID-19

[Article in English, Spanish]
Adriana Gil-Rodrigo  1 , Pere Llorens  2 , Carmen Martínez-Buendía  3 , María-José Luque-Hernández  4 , Begoña Espinosa  1 , José Manuel Ramos-Rincón  5
Affiliations
  • PMID: 33006834
Free article

Diagnostic yield of point-of-care ultrasound imaging of the lung in patients with COVID-19

[Article in English, Spanish]
Adriana Gil-Rodrigo et al. Emergencias. 2020 Sep.
Free article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic yield of point-of-care ultrasound imaging in patients suspected of having noncritical severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection but no apparent changes on a chest radiograph.

Material and methods: Cross-sectional analysis of a case series including patients coming to an emergency department in March and April 2020 with mild-moderate respiratory symptoms suspected to be caused by SARS-CoV-2. A point-of-care ultrasound examination of the lungs was performed on all participants as part of routine clinical care. Ultrasound findings were compared according to the results of SARS-CoV-2 test results.

Results: Fifty-eight patients with a median (interquartile range) age of 44.5 (34-67) years were enrolled; 42 (72.4%) were women. Twenty-seven (46.5%) had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Ultrasound findings were consistent with interstitial pneumonia due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 33 (56.9%). Most were in cases with testconfirmed COVID-19 (100% vs 22.2% of cases with no confirmation; P < .001). The most common ultrasound findings in confirmed COVID-19 cases were focal and confluent B-lines in the basal and posterior regions of the lung (R1, 85.2%; R2, 77.8%; L1, 88.9%; and L2, 88.9%) and associated pleural involvement (70.4%, 70.4%, 81.5%, and 85.2%, respectively). The sensitivity of point-of-care ultrasound in the diagnosis of COVID-19 was 92.6% (95% CI, 75.7%-99.1%). Specificity was 85.2% (95% CI, 66.3%-95.8%); positive predictive value, 75.8% (95% CI, 59.6%- 91.9%); negative predictive value, 92% (95% CI, 74.0%-99.0%); and positive and negative likelihood ratios, 6.2 (95% CI, 6.0-6.5) and 0.1 (95% CI, 0.1-0.1), respectively.

Conclusion: Point-of-care lung ultrasound could be useful for the diagnosis of noncritical SARS-CoV-2 infection when chest radiographs are inconclusive.

Objetivo: Evaluar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la ecografía clínica pulmonar en pacientes con sospecha de infección respiratoria no crítica por SARS-CoV-2 sin alteraciones evidentes en la radiografía de tórax.

Metodo: Estudio de una serie de casos con análisis transversal que incluyó pacientes con sospecha de infección respiratoria por SARS-CoV-2, sintomatología respiratoria leve-moderada y sin hallazgos patológicos concluyentes en la radiografía torácica, que consultaron en un servicio de urgencias durante marzo y abril de 2020. Se realizó una ecografía clínica pulmonar a todos los participantes como parte de la práctica clínica asistencial. Se compararon los hallazgos ecográficos en función del resultado del test SARS-CoV-2.

Resultados: Se estudiaron 58 pacientes [mediana de edad 44,5 (RIC 34-67) años; 42 (72,4%) mujeres], 27 (46,5%) con infección por SARS-CoV2 confirmada. Treinta y tres (56,9%) presentaron hallazgos ecográficos de neumonía intersticial por COVID-19, siendo más frecuente en los casos con COVID-19 confirmada (22,2% vs 100%; p < 0,001). Los hallazgos más frecuentes en los casos con COVID-19 confirmada fueron en áreas posterobasales (regiones R1, R2, L1, L2), en forma de líneas B focalizadas y confluentes (85,2%, 77,8%, 88,9% y 88,9%, respectivamente), con irregularidad pleural asociada (70,4%, 70,4%, 81,5% y 85,2%, respectivamente). El diagnóstico del COVID-19 mediante ecografía pulmonar clínica tuvo una sensibilidad de un 92,6% (IC 95%: 75,7-99,1%), una especificidad de un 85,2% (IC 95%: 66,3-95,8%), un valor predictivo positivo fue de un 75,8% (IC 95%: 59,6-91,9%), un valor predictivo negativo de un 92% (IC 95%: 74,0-99,0%), una razón de verosimilitud positiva de un 6,25 (IC 95%: 6,0-6,5) y una negativa de 0,1 (IC 95%: 0,1-0,1).

Conclusiones: El uso de la ecografía clínica pulmonar podría ser de ayuda diagnóstica en pacientes con sospecha de infección respiratoria no crítica por SARS-CoV-2 donde la radiografía de tórax no es diagnóstica.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19; Coronavirus disease 2019; Emergency department; Lung; Neumonía; Pneumonia; Point-of-care; Pulmón; Servicio de urgencias; Ultrasonidos; Ultrasound; point-of-care.

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