This document discusses the use of chest sonography in critically ill patients. It notes that bedside chest radiography has limitations in critically ill patients. Chest sonography can help diagnose various lung conditions at the bedside including pulmonary consolidation, atelectasis, edema, effusions, and pneumothorax. It reviews the sonographic signs and patterns associated with these conditions. The document also discusses using lung ultrasound and IVC views to assess shock states and guide treatment. Overall, it promotes the use of bedside lung ultrasound as a valuable tool to complement radiography in critically ill patients.
2. Chest Sonography in Critically
Ill Patients
Gamal Rabie Agmy ,MD ,FCCP
Professor of Chest Diseases, Assiut University
3.
4. c
At the bedside, chest radiography remains the reference for lung imaging in
critically ill patients. However, radiographical images are often of
limited quality
• Movements of the chest wall
• Film cassette posterior to the
thorax
• X-ray beam originating anteriorly, at
a shorter distance than
recommended and not tangential to
the diaphragmatic cupola .
Mistaken assessment
of :
c
• Pleural effusion
• Alveolar consolidation
• Alveolar-interstitial
syndrome
Bedside Chest Radiography in the Critically
ill
02 09 2012
18. Tissue pattern representative of Alveolar
Consolidation
Presence of hyperechoic punctiform
imagesrepresentative of air bronchograms
Pleural
effusion
Lower lobe
23. Clinical applications of lung ultrasonography in the
intensive care unit
1. Diagnosis of pulmonary consolidation.
2. Diagnosis of atelectasis
3. Diagnosis of alveolar-interstitialsyndrome
4. Differentiating between pulmonary oedema and ARDS
5. Differentiating between pulmonary oedema and COPD
6. Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism
7. Diagnosis of pneumothorax
8. Diagnosis and estimation of volume and nature of pleural effusion.
9. Diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound-guided thoracentesis.
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33. Absent lung sliding
Exaggerated horizontal artifacts
Loss of comet-tail artifacts
Broadening of the pleural line to a band
The key sonographic signs of
Pneumothorax
47. Schematic representation of the parenchymal, pleural and vascular
features associated with pulmonary embolism.(Angelika Reissig, Claus
Kroegel. Respiration2003;70:441-452)
68. Background
Patients with shock have high mortality rates and these
rates are correlated to the amount and duration of
hypotension.
Diagnosis and initial care must be accurate and prompt
to optimise patient outcomes.
Studies have demonstrated that initial integration of
bedside ultrasound into the evaluation of the patient with
shock results in a more accurate initial diagnosis with
earlier definitive treatment.
Bedside USS allows direct visualisation of pathology or
abnormal physiological states.
69. Remember…
Ultrasound is a tool to aid diagnosis, but it won’t tell you
everything…
When using it we should always have a clinical question you
would like it to answer
72. Parasternal long axis
Transducer at left sternal
edge between 2nd -4th
intercostal space
Probe marker pointing to
patients R shoulder
Probe aligned along the
long axis: from R shoulder
to cardiac apex.
Useful view to assess
contractility
73. Apical 4 chamber
Transducer at 4th-6th intercostal
space in the midclavicular to
anterior-axillary line.
Probe directed towards patient’s
right shoulder with the marker
directed towards the left
shoulder.
Important view to give relative
dimensions of L and R ventricle.
Normal ventricular diameter
ratio of R ventricle to L ventricle
is <0.7.
74.
75. PericardialTamponade
Remember tamponadeis a clinical diagnosis based on
patient’s haemodynamics and clinical picture.
Ultrasound may demonstrate early warning signs of
tamponade before the patient becomes haemodynamically
unstable.
Haemodynamic effects
Its PRESSURE NOT SIZE THAT COUNTS!
Rate of formation affects pressure-volume relationship and
is therefore more important than volume of fluid.
76. Tamponade using ultrasound
A moderate-large effusion.
Right atrial collapse
Atrial contractionnormal in atrial systole
Collapse throughout diastole or inversion is abnormal.
RV collapse during diastole when meant to be filling
(‘scalloping’ seen)
Whats seen in the IVC…
78. Where to put the probe…
Probe position
Subxiphoid
Orientate probe in
longitudinal plane with
probe indicator to
patient’s head
Slightly to right of
midline
80. The FAST view…
Probe goes longitudinally in right mid axillary line with
marker towards head.
Look for IVC running longitudinally adjacent to the liver
crossing the diaphragm
Track superiorly until it enters the RA confirms it’s the IVC not
the aorta
81. Assessing the IVC
During inspiration, intrathoracic pressure becomes more
negative, abdominal pressure becomes more positive,
resultant increase in the pressure gradient between the
supra and infra-diaphragmatic vena cava, increases
venous return to the heart.
Given the extrathoracic IVC is a very compliant vessel
this causes diameter of IVC to decrease with normal
inspiration.
In patients with low intravascular volume, the inspiration
to expiration diameters change much more than those
who have normal or high intravascular volume.
82. Estimating theCVP
IVC Diameter (mm) % collapse Estimated CVP (cm
H2O)
<20 >50 5
<20 <50 10
>20 <50 15
>20 0 20
Right atrial pressures, representing central venous pressure, can be estimated
by viewing the respiratory change in the diameter of the IVC.
91. himaP
Multiple studies have shown ultrasound to be more
sensitive than supine CXR for the detection of
pneumothorax.
Sensitivities ranged from 86-100% with specificities from
92-100%.
Furthermore USS can be performed more rapidly at the
bedside.
Detection with ultrasound relies on the fact that free air is
lighter than normal aerated lung tissue, and thus will
accumulate in the nondependent areas of the thoracic
cavity. (ie anteriorly when patient is supine).
92. To get the lung window
Patient should be supine.
Use high frequency linear
array or a phased array
transducer.
Position in the
midclavicular line, 3rd to 4th
intercostal space with
probe oriented
longitudinally.
Position between ribs.