Significance of transthoracic ultra-sonography in early detection of patients with interstitial lung diseases in Aswan University Hospital

Abstract

Recently, the diagnosis and follow-up of numerous pulmonary diseases such as pneumothorax, pneumonia, and pleural effusion were easily by use of conventional ultrasound, and the maximum usefulness of transthoracic ultrasonography (TUS) in pulmonary diseases especially diffuse parenchymal lung disease has not been detected yet. This study was conducted to determine the value of transthoracic ultrasonography in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Moreover, the viable correlations of the ultrasound findings with the functional and radiological findings of ILDs had been assessed. TUS diagnosis was positive in 73 cases, there was a substantial variation between the two groups classified according to ultrasonographic diagnosis regarding age and smoking history (p = 0.003 and 0.013 respectively). All the patients with usual interstitial pneumonia (n = 42) and Indeterminate UIP (n = 49) had positive ultra-sonographic findings [p = 0.041 and 0.001 accordingly]. Regarding pulmonary function tests, there was a considerable variance between both groups regarding FVC, PEF, FEF25-75, FEV1/VC (p = 0.037, 0.029, 0.015, and 0.000 accordingly). The most positive US diagnosis areas were upper lateral, lateral basal, and interscapular areas. There was a weak negative correlation between TUS diagnosis and FVC [r = − 0.25, p = 0.026]. We concluded the great significant value of TUS in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with interstitial lung diseases. It had an extremely thoughtful role in the diagnosis of ILD by detection of multiple B-lines distribution emerging from pleura and extending in the entire lung surface. The use of TUS in early detection and follow-up of ILDs reduced the cost.