Title:Ultrasonographic Applications in the Thorax
Volume: 19
Author(s): Mehmet Zeki Gunluoglu *, Tugrul Ormeci and Selva Sen
Affiliation:
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
Keywords:
Chest sonography, lung ultrasonography, pleural ultrasonography, thoracic ultrasonography, A-line, B-line.
Abstract: Rapid developments and increasing technological knowledge have changed perspectives
on ultrasonography. Previously, ultrasonography was used to evaluate chest wall pathologies, to
distinguish between pleural effusion and consolidation, to evacuate pleural effusion, or to evaluate
diaphragm movement. Today, it is also used in a wide range of pleural and parenchymal diseases.
Ultrasonography is not just used in the emergency department and the intensive care units, it is also
utilized in many clinical branches dealing with the respiratory system-due to its ease of use, fast access,
price advantage, non-radiation exposure, higher diagnostic sensitivity, and specificity in
many clinical situations-and has become a part of the examination. In this review, we have assessed
not just transthoracic ultrasonography but also more focal and targeted sonographic applications,
such as the endobronchial ultrasound and esophageal ultrasound.