Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread worldwide causing a global pandemic. In this context, lung ultrasound (LUS) has played an important role due to its high diagnostic sensitivity, low costs, simplicity of execution and radiation safeness. Despite computed tomography (CT) being the imaging gold standard, lung ultrasound point of care exam is essential in every situation where CT is not readily available nor applicable. The aim of our review is to highlight the considerable versatility of LUS in diagnosis, framing the therapeutic route and follow-up for SARS-CoV-2 interstitial syndrome.
Highlights
At the end of 2019, a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, emerged in China, which was first caused an epidemic illness in Wuhan and spread worldwide causing a global pandemic [1]
Typical computed tomography (CT) findings of COVID-19 related to pneumonia are bilateral involvement in 100% of cases, with evidence of ground glass opacities, crazy paving signs, subpleural lines and fat vessel signs, which involve all lung lobes in 88% of cases
Ultrasound cannot be transmitted through air and allows for air-filled lungs to create artifacts
Summary
At the end of 2019, a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, emerged in China, which was first caused an epidemic illness in Wuhan and spread worldwide causing a global pandemic [1]. SARS-CoV-2 has high affinity for upper and lower respiratory tract illnesses [2]. Clinical presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection has an extremely heterogeneous spectrum of severity ranging from self-limiting infection to acute respiratory failure [3]. The diagnostic gold standard of coronavirus lung involvement is chest tomography with a 97% sensitivity to detect SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia [4]. CT findings suggestive of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia correlate with abnormalities seen on chest ultrasounds [5]. Chest X-rays have a poor ability to detect SARS-CoV-2 lung lesions [6] compared to CT and chest ultrasounds [7]
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