Lung sonographic findings in COVID-19 patients

The objective of this study was to describe the lung sonographic findings of COVID-19 patients prospectively and investigate its association with disease severity.

This study was conducted in an emergency department and included consecutively enrolled laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients. Lung sonography findings were described in all the included patients and analysed with respect to the clinical severity of the patients.

106 patients were included in the study. Common sonographic findings in COVID-19 patients were pleural line irregularity or shredding (70% of patients), followed by B - profile (59%), pleural line thickening (33%), occasional B - lines (26%), sub-pleural consolidations (35%), deep consolidations (6%), spared areas (13%), confluent B - lines or waterfall sign (14%) and pleural effusion (9%). These findings tended to be present more bilaterally and in lower lung zones. Sonographic characteristics like bilateral lung involvement, B - profile, spared areas and confluent B - lines or waterfall sign were significantly associated (p < 0.01) with clinical severity (more frequent with increasing disease severity).

The lung sonographic findings of COVID-19 were found more bilaterally and in lower lung zones, and specific findings like B - profile, pleural thickening, spared areas and confluent B - lines or waterfall sign were associated with severe COVID-19.