Clinical review: Lung imaging in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients--an update

Over the past 30 years lung imaging has greatly contributed to the current understanding of the pathophysiology and the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In the past few years, in addition to chest X-ray and lung computed tomography, newer functional lung imaging techniques, such as lung ultrasound, positron emission tomography, electrical impedance tomography and magnetic resonance, have been gaining a role as diagnostic tools to optimize lung assessment and ventilator management in ARDS patients. Here we provide an updated clinical review of lung imaging in ARDS over the past few years to offer an overview of the literature on the available imaging techniques from a clinical perspective.