Live teleultrasound for evaluation of the chest: a systematic review

Innovation in ultrasound technology has led to the development of portable devices which can transmit images in real time to a remotely located expert, known as live teleultrasound. This allows immediate feedback on image acquisition, assistance with interpretation and subsequent clinical decision-making.

We performed a systematic review of the literature to examine outcomes related to live teleultrasound of the chest.

A systematic search for studies reporting outcomes from live teleultrasound of the chest (excluding cardiac) in adults was performed in PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane CENTRAL. At least two independent reviewers were involved in screening, data extraction and critical appraisal.

In total, 1855 eligible studies were identified. Of those, 106 studies progressed to full-text screening and 43 studies were included for data extraction. Case reports and feasibility studies were most prevalent, and study quality was low overall. Commonly reported outcomes included 1) image quality rated by a remote clinician; 2) remote clinician's comfort in making management decisions; and 3) comparison of teleultrasound image acquisition with images acquired at the bedside by an expert. Three diagnostic accuracy studies demonstrated a high accuracy of teleultrasound for the identification of signs such as lung sliding, the interstitial syndrome and pleural effusion. Consolidation was less reliably identified. Eight studies collected qualitative data on attitudes of remote and face-to-face clinicians, which were consistently positive.

Low-quality evidence suggests that live teleultrasound can be used to assess the lungs and pleural space; however, further study is required to ensure its diagnostic accuracy.