The promising role of lung ultrasound in systemic sclerosis

Ultrasound (US) has an emergent and relevant role in the assessment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) even if there are many fields and applications that still have not been sufficiently explored. In this review, we will report an update of the available data regarding the use of US in lung involvement that might cause disability and mortality in SSc patients. Lung US does not employ ionizing radiation and is more rapid and less expensive than traditional high-resolution tomography (HRCT). Furthermore, recent initial studies have demonstrated that US scores correlated to HRCT and functional respiratory test results in SSc interstitial lung disease. The research agenda for the future should include a more profound investigation of its specificity (comparison with healthy subjects and other diseases) and sensitivity to change at follow-up, to adequately disseminate its use in daily practice and clinical trials.