Abstract
:
Lung Ultrasound (LUS) has evolved considerably over the last few years. The aim of
the current review is to conduct a systematic review reported from a number of studies to show the
usefulness of (LUS) and point of care ultrasound for diagnosing COVID-19. A systematic search
of electronic data was conducted, including the national library of medicine, and the national institute
of medicine, PubMed Central (PMC), to identify the articles published on (LUS) to monitor
COVID-19. This review highlights the ultrasound findings reported in articles before the occurrence
of the pandemic (11), clinical articles before COVID-19 (14), review studies during the pandemic
(27), clinical cases during the pandemic (5) and other varying aims articles. The reviewed
studies revealed that ultrasound findings can be used to help in the detection and staging of the disease.
The common patterns observed included irregular and thickened A-lines, multiple B-lines
ranging from focal to diffuse interstitial consolidation, and pleural effusion. Sub-plural consolidation
is found to be associated with the progression of the disease and its complications. Pneumothorax
was not recorded for COVID-19 patients. Further improvement in the diagnostic performance
of (LUS) for COVID-19 patients can be achieved by using elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound,
and power Doppler imaging.