Utilization and Clinical Significance of Thoracic Ultrasonography

Abstract

Imaging has made significant contributions to the understanding of lung diseases in critically ill patients in recent times. Thoracic ultrasonography is a real-time imaging technique that is easy to use, non-invasive, potentially widespread, and radiation-free. Its rising use in critical care and accompanying study findings, support its status as a new approach for bedside chest imaging. Imaging is now used to diagnose lung pathology, track its progression, and direct therapeutic strategy. It can be used repeatedly over time as a part of a dynamic clinical evaluation and is a useful tool for determining the etiology of a patient's shock or respiratory failure. The purpose of this research is to review the available information about utilization and clinical significance of thoracic ultrasonography. When it comes to diagnosing pneumothorax, pneumonia, pleural effusion, and pulmonary edema, thoracic ultrasonography is more reliable than a chest radiograph. The placement and confirmation of subclavian central lines is one of the crucial functions of thoracic ultrasonography. Following the insertion of a chest tube, lung ultrasonography may be beneficial for monitoring and assessing the pneumothorax's resolution. To determine the size and location of a mass on the chest wall and to assist with the mass lesion's biopsy, a thoracic ultrasonography may be efficient, practical, and affordable. In cases of pulmonary effusion, ultrasonography can be used to estimate the quantity of effusion. Additionally, thoracic ultrasonography was efficiently used in coronavirus disease- 2019 infection patients since it posed less of a threat to break airborne isolation and spread infection to others also showed significant findings.