Abstract
BACKGROUND: The diagnostic value of thoracic ultrasonography (US) has recently increased. Skilled sonographers with experience in pulmonary medicine have demonstrated the existence of US signs of chest pathology. PURPOSE: To detect US findings associated with infectious interstitial pneumonia that can be used to supplement other diagnostic tools. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a period of 5 years (2001-2006), 55 patients were referred to our ultrasonography units for evaluation of probable viral or viral-like infections of the respiratory tract. Each patient was subjected to a work-up that included clinical examination, blood tests, pulmonary function tests, bronchoscopy, chest radiographs, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and thoracic US, which was performed under blinded conditions. RESULTS: Based on the findings that emerged from the work-up described above, all 55 patients were diagnosed with interstitial pneumonia. Evaluation of the US scans for the signs of interstitial lung disease described by Lichtenstein revealed "comet-tail" artifacts in the anterolateral lung fields in 31 (56.36%) patients and mixed patterns consisting in increased density associated with ring-down artifacts in 24 (46.64%). Pleural involvement was also observed in 34 cases (61.82%). CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic US appears to be a useful adjunct to clinical, laboratory and radiological studies in patients suspected of having infectious interstitial pneumonia.