Transthoracic ultrasound in the diagnosis of bronchiectasis: is it valuable?

• Published in: Egyptian Journal of Bronchology Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 303 - 308
• Main Author: Ghany, Mohamed Fawzy Abdel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2019; Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Bronchiectasis; CAT scans; Diagnosis; Diagnostic imaging; Diagnostic ultrasonography; Evaluation; high-resolution computed tomography; lung ultrasound; Medicine & Public Health; Methods; Original Article; pulmonary function test; Pulmonary function tests; Tomography; Ultrasonic imaging; Egypt; pulmonary function test; high-resolution computed tomography; bronchiectasis; lung ultrasound
• ISSN: 1687-8426; 2314-8551
• DOI: 10.4103/ejb.ejb_2_19

Objectives The purposeof this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic ultrasound in patients with bronchiectasis and compare it with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest. Patients and methods Sixty-one patients with bronchiectasis underwent transthoracic ultrasound. Radiological severity of bronchiectasis was assessed using a modified Reiff score (number of lobes involved in six lobes multiplied by the degree of bronchial dilatation) (tubular=1, varicose=2, cystic=3). Transthoracic findings were compared with that of the HRCT and pulmonary function tests. Results Two patterns of sonographic abnormalities were detected: B-line pattern and c-profile (consolidation) pattern. The first was detected in 42 (68.8%) patients and the later was detected in seven (11.1%) patients. Twelve (19.7%) patients had normal sonographic examination. There was significant positive correlation between severity of bronchiectasis by the modified Reiff score pattern. The highest score correlated with the c-profile pattern and the lower score correlated with the B-line pattern ( P ≤0.001), while patients with very low score (≤20) had normal examination. There was a negative correlation between HRCT score, ultrasound pattern, and Partial pressure of oxygen tension (PO 2 ) ( P ≤0.001). Conclusion Bronchiectasis can be assessed by chest ultrasound; pattern of sonography is correlated to the radiological severity and functional impairment of the disease.