Role of cardiac and lung ultrasound in the COVID-19 era

Abstract

Introduction: The primary diagnostic method of Coronavirus disease 2019 is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of the nucleic acid of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in nasopharyngeal swabs. There is growing evidence regarding the 2019 coronavirus disease imaging results on chest X-rays and computed tomography but the accessibility to standard diagnostic methods may be limited during the pandemic.

Evidence acquisition: Databases used for the search were MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus Search, and Cochrane Library. The research took into consideration studies published in English until March 2022 and was conducted using the following research query: ((((sars cov [MeSH Terms])) OR (COVID-19)) OR (Sars-Cov2)) OR (Coronavirus)) AND (((((2d echocardiography [MeSH Terms]) OR (doppler ultrasound imaging [MeSH Terms]))) OR (echography [MeSH Terms])) OR (LUS)) OR ("LUNG ULTRASOUND")).

Evidence synthesis: Pulmonary and cardiac ultrasound are cost-effective, widely available, and provide information that can influence management.

Conclusions: Point-of-care ultrasonography is a method that can provide relevant clinical and therapeutic information in patients with COVID-19 where other diagnostic methods may not be easily accessible.