The Adding Role and Accuracy of Chest Ultrasound and Doppler in Peripheral Lung Lesions

Abstract

Abstract Background: Chest ultrasound (US) and color Doppler sonography play important roles in the diagnosis and charac-terization of different pathologies of peripheral lung lesions, especially in the emergency setting. Aim of Study: The aim of this study is to assess the role of chest US and Doppler examination in the assessment of peripheral lung lesions in comparison with chest CT, which is the gold standard for chest diagnosis. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 120 patients who underwent chest CT examination, full chest US, and Doppler. Results were assessed blindly and compared with CT. Results: The main lung lesions assessed by US and Doppler were lung collapse, consolidation, interstitial lung changes, and peripheral pulmonary nodules, with the estimated sensi-tivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of detection ranging from 63.9%-76.9%, 94%-95%, 79.2%-95%, 85.9%-91.5%, and 85%-93.3% re-spectively. There was a significant correlation between US and Doppler in comparison with CT. Conclusion: Chest US proved its value as a complementary tool for the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions, with high specificity and accuracy. This finding was enforced by Doppler, history, and clinical suspicion, although the use of CT to obtain the final diagnosis would be more applicable.