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Role of chest ultrasonography in the diagnosis and follow-up of community-acquired pneumonia at Zagazig University Hospitals

Abstract

Background

Pneumonia is one of the most common diseases with a high hospitalization rate and is potentially life threatening. Chest ultrasound (US) is increasingly being used as a valuable bedside tool in the diagnosis of various thoracic conditions, especially pneumonia.

Patients and methods

A total of 120 patients clinically suspected as having pneumonia were selected. Chest US was performed for the number, location, shape, size, breathdependent movement of pneumonia, incidence of necrotic areas, positive air bronchogram, fluid bronchogram, and pleural effusion either simple or septated. Follow-up was carried out on days 1, 5, 8, and 14.

Results

Patients? ages ranged from 24 to 85 (58.5±15.2) years. Of them, 73 (60.8%) were male and 47 (39.2%) were female. Chest US showed positive findings in 116 (96.7%) patients, with a sensitivity of 97.4%, specificity of 25%, and accuracy of 95%. There was a highly significant difference (P <0.001) between chest US and plain chest radiography in detecting pneumonia, whereas there was no significant difference (P>0.5) between chest US and chest computed tomography. Chest US had a high significant difference (P <0.001) in detecting minimal pleural effusion over plain radiography. Moreover, it had a sensitivity of 93.8%, specificity of 99%, and accuracy of 98.3% in detecting complex septated pleural effusion. Improvement in pneumonia was detected in 111 patients (95.7%) with chest US, whereas improvement was detected in 76 (75.2%) patients with plain chest radiography after 14 days; this was highly significant (P <0.001).

Conclusion

Chest US is a quick, bedside, noninvasive, nonionizing, and highly sensitive tool to detect and follow-up cases of pneumonia and parapneumonic effusion.

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Correspondence to Waleed Mansour.

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Moghawri, M.W., Mansour, W., Lakouz, K.A. et al. Role of chest ultrasonography in the diagnosis and follow-up of community-acquired pneumonia at Zagazig University Hospitals. Egypt J Bronchol 11, 29–35 (2017). https://doi.org/10.4103/1687-8426.198991

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