Abstract
Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the value of comet tail artifacts(B-lines) in assessment of interstitial lung diseases(ILD) and investigate the correlation between B-lines and high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT) findings,pulmonary function tests(PFTs), and diffusion capacity(DLCO).
Methods: This prospective,cross sectional study is conducted on patients with ILD and control group.Each case underwent clinical examination,PFTs,DLCO,chest HRCT,and lung US by an experienced pulmonary physician.In each patient, US B-line lung assessment including 10 intercostal spaces was performed.The study was conducted with GE Logic 7 ultrasound system and 3.5 MHz frequency transducer was used.Examiners blinded to clinical diagnoses, noted the presence and numbers of lung comets at each examining site. A patient's lung comet score was obtained by summing the number of comets in each of the scanning spaces.These findings were compared with that of chest HRCT (ground glass,interseptal thickening,reticulonodular or honey combing and PFTs as forced vital capacity(FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1),and DLCO.
Results: 34 patients with a diagnosis of ILD and 21 controls were included with a mean age of 59.2±14.2 years.There is a significant differance in B-line scores between ILD patients and control group(p<0.0001).Also the number of comet lines correlated with severity of the disease on HRCT and DLCO.A significant correlation was found between US B-line score and HRCT findings(p=0.001) and DLCO(p<0.000).
Conclusion: B-lines that are lung ultrasound signs seem to be useful in the assessment of ILD.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015
