Lung Ultrasound

Abstract

Lung ultrasound has emerged as a fast method for evaluation of an unstable patient at bedside in locations such as the operating room, the ICU, or the trauma bay. These devices have become easier to use and fully portable, helping the physician in the diagnosis of various thoracic diseases that could otherwise be missed on a traditional chest X-ray. Acute pneumothorax, a potential life-threatening injury, can be promptly and accurately diagnosed with the ultrasound by interpretation of artifacts that include lung sliding, B-lines, A-lines, and lung point. Even though computed tomography remains the gold standard method of detecting pneumothorax, it may not always be feasible to transport an unstable patient for that purpose. In this chapter, we review the most common lung ultrasound artifacts and explain how they aid in the diagnosis of distinct thoracic diseases.