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. 2025 Jun;51(6):1022-1049.
doi: 10.1007/s00134-025-07932-y. Epub 2025 May 12.

ESICM-ESPNIC international expert consensus on quantitative lung ultrasound in intensive care

Silvia Mongodi  1 , Andrea Cortegiani  2   3 , Almudena Alonso-Ojembarrena  4   5 , Daniele Guerino Biasucci  6 , Lieuwe D J Bos  7 , Belaid Bouhemad  8   9 , Massimo Cantinotti  10 , Ioana Ciuca  11   12 , Francesco Corradi  13 , Martin Girard  14   15 , Rebeca Gregorio-Hernandez  16 , Maria Rosaria Gualano  17   18 , Francesco Mojoli  19   20 , George Ntoumenopoulos  21 , Luigi Pisani  22   23 , Francesco Raimondi  24 , Javier Rodriguez-Fanjul  25 , Marilena Savoia  26 , Marry R Smit  27 , Pieter R Tuinman  28   29 , Laurent Zieleskiewicz  30 , Daniele De Luca  31   32
Affiliations

ESICM-ESPNIC international expert consensus on quantitative lung ultrasound in intensive care

Silvia Mongodi et al. Intensive Care Med. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: To provide an international expert consensus on technical aspects and clinical applications of quantitative lung ultrasound in adult, paediatric and neonatal intensive care.

Methods: The European Society of Intensive Care (ESICM) and the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) endorsed the project. We selected an international panel of 20 adult, paediatric and neonatal intensive care experts with clinical and research expertise in quantitative lung ultrasound, plus two non-voting methodologists. Fourteen clinical questions were proposed by the chairs to the panel, who voted for their priority (1-9 Likert-type scale) and proposed modifications/supplementing (two-round vote). All the questions achieved the predefined threshold (mean score > 5) and 14 groups of 3 mixed adult/paediatric experts were identified to develop the statements for each clinical question; predefined groups of experts in the fields of adult and paediatric/neonatal intensive care voted statements specific for these subgroups. An iterative approach was used to obtain the final consensus statements (two-round vote, 1-9 Likert-type scale); statements were classified as with agreement (range 7-9), uncertainty (4-6), disagreement (1-3) when the median score and ≥ 75% of votes laid within a specific range.

Results: A total of 46 statements were produced (4 adults-only, 4 paediatric/neonatal-only, 38 interdisciplinary); all obtained agreement. This result was also achieved by acknowledging in the statements the current limitations of quantitative lung ultrasound.

Conclusion: This consensus guides the use of quantitative lung ultrasound in adult, paediatric and neonatal intensive care and helps identify the fields where further research will be needed in the future.

Keywords: Aeration; Critical care ultrasound; Lung monitoring; Lung ultrasound score; Neonates; Quantitative lung ultrasound.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflicts of interest: AAO received fees for lectures by Chiesi Farmaceutici, outside the present work. DGB received feed for lectures by Vygon SAS, dbMed Srl, SurveyMed srl, outside the present work. LDJB received grant by Longfonds, Innovative Medicine Initiative, Amsterdam UMC, Health Holland via Longfonds, ZonMW, Volition, Santhera, outside the present work; received consulting fees by Scailyte, outside the present work; is member of a paid advisory board for Sobi NL, Impentri, Novartis, AstraZeneca, CSL Behring, Aptarion, outside the present work. RGH received fees for lectures from Chiesi, outside the present work. MG received research grants from New Frontiers in Research Fund, GE HealthCare / BARDA and Fonds de Recherche du Québec, outside the present work; received fees for lectures by GE Healthcare, outside the present work. FM received fees for lectures from Hamilton Medical, outside the present work. A research agreement is active between the University of Pavia and Hamilton Medical, outside the present work. GN is a board member of the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine; received regular in-kind support from medical ultrasound companies with ultrasound machines for use during lung ultrasound training courses. LP received grants from, outside the present work. ITPA Wellcome grant PRT participated on a trial on the use of GHB in ICU patients; he is a member of the NVIC ultrasound committee, outside the present work. LZ received fees from General Electric Health care for lectures and ultrasound teaching, outside the present work. DDL has received research assistance and speakers fees from GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Vyaire, Getinge, Astra Zeneca and Chiesi Farmaceutici, unrelated to the present work. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval: N.A.

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