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Updated: Aug 6, 2025
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Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition
Published on: March 3, 2023
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Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition.
Rodrigo O L Pereira1, David L Convissar2, Sean Montgomery3
1Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine; rlami@icloud.com.
Journal of Visualized Experiments : Jove
|March 20, 2023
Summary
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) offers valuable lung imaging for diagnosing cardiopulmonary issues, surpassing traditional chest X-rays in certain conditions. This review details lung POCUS acquisition techniques to improve its clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Diagnostic imaging
- Pulmonology
- Medical education
Background:
- Traditionally, ultrasound has limitations in lung imaging due to air-filled lung parenchyma, often producing artifacts.
- Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) practitioners have identified diagnostic value in these artifacts for cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
- Lung POCUS demonstrates superiority over chest radiography (CXR) in diagnosing conditions like pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, consolidations, and pleural effusions in dyspneic patients.
Approach:
- This narrative review focuses on the practical aspects of lung POCUS image acquisition in adults.
- It covers essential elements including patient positioning, appropriate transducer selection, and optimal probe placement.
- The review also details the recommended acquisition sequence and techniques for image optimization.
Key Points:
- Lung POCUS provides critical diagnostic information for acute cardiopulmonary conditions.
- Despite its diagnostic utility, inconsistent training hinders widespread clinical adoption.
- Standardized image acquisition protocols are crucial for effective lung POCUS implementation.
Conclusions:
- This review aims to bridge the educational gap by providing a comprehensive guide to lung POCUS image acquisition.
- Standardized training in lung POCUS can enhance its utilization in clinical practice.
- Improved POCUS skills will lead to more accurate and timely diagnoses of lung pathologies.
