Evaluating the diagnostic efficacy of 12-point lung ultrasound in detecting COVID-19 lung lesions: a comparative study with low-dose chest CT scan

Abdolghader Pakniyat; Farzane  Jafari; Seyedeh Hoda Ahmadi; Mohammad  Ghasemi-Rad; Mahan Ghasemi; Korush Akhbari

doi:10.18502/fem.v8i1.14890

Abdolghader Pakniyat Emergency Medicine Department, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Farzane Jafari Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Seyedeh Hoda Ahmadi Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Mohammad Ghasemi-Rad Department of Interventional Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Mahan Ghasemi Department of Bioengineering, Texas A & M University, Texas, USA.
Korush Akhbari Emergency Medicine Department, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/fem.v8i1.14890

Keywords: COVID-19; Imaging; Lung Diseases; Tomography Scan

Abstract

Objective:

Chest computed tomography (CT) scans are the gold standard for identifying pulmonary involvement in pneumonia-like COVID-19 cases, albeit with certain drawbacks such as radiation exposure and high costs. This research aims to evaluate the diagnostic precision of a 12-point lung ultrasound (LUS) against a low-dose chest CT scan in identifying lung lesions associated with COVID-19.

Methods:

The study incorporated 100 consecutive patients, aged over 18 years, exhibiting suspected clinical symptoms of COVID-19 or inpatients requiring a low-dose chest CT scan for diagnosing asymptomatic COVID-19 lung lesions. All participants underwent a 12-point LUS, followed by a low-dose chest CT scan. Data analysis was conducted using STATA-16, with descriptive results presented as mean and standard deviation.

Results:

The study comprised 60 males and 40 females, with an average age of 43.0±16.9 years. The mean distribution of the patients' clinical features was calculated. The LUS demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 97.5%, 86.4%, 83.3%, and 98%, respectively.

Conclusion:

The 12-point LUS exhibited high sensitivity and specificity in assessing pulmonary involvement in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, lung ultrasound results, combined with medical history and clinical examination, can serve as an effective triage tool for COVID-19 patients. The LUS, a swift, safe, and effective ionization tool, can potentially replace chest CT scans in scenarios such as CT scan unavailability, intensive care management, and patient follow-up.