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International Journal of Emergency Medicine
Published in: International Journal of Emergency Medicine 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Original Research

Diagnostic use of lung ultrasound compared to chest radiograph for suspected pneumonia in a resource-limited setting

Authors: Yogendra Amatya, Jordan Rupp, Frances M. Russell, Jason Saunders, Brian Bales, Darlene R. House

Published in: International Journal of Emergency Medicine | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Lung ultrasound is an effective tool for diagnosing pneumonia in developed countries. Diagnostic accuracy in resource-limited countries where pneumonia is the leading cause of death is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of bedside lung ultrasound compared to chest X-ray for pneumonia in adults presenting for emergency care in a low-income country.

Methods

Patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected pneumonia were evaluated with bedside lung ultrasound, single posterioranterior chest radiograph, and computed tomography (CT). Using CT as the gold standard, the sensitivity of lung ultrasound was compared to chest X-ray for the diagnosis of pneumonia using McNemar’s test for paired samples. Diagnostic characteristics for each test were calculated.

Results

Of 62 patients included in the study, 44 (71%) were diagnosed with pneumonia by CT. Lung ultrasound demonstrated a sensitivity of 91% compared to chest X-ray which had a sensitivity of 73% (p = 0.01). Specificity of lung ultrasound and chest X-ray were 61 and 50% respectively.

Conclusions

Bedside lung ultrasound demonstrated better sensitivity than chest X-ray for the diagnosis of pneumonia in Nepal.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number NCT02949141. Registered 31 October 2016.
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Metadata
Title
Diagnostic use of lung ultrasound compared to chest radiograph for suspected pneumonia in a resource-limited setting
Authors
Yogendra Amatya
Jordan Rupp
Frances M. Russell
Jason Saunders
Brian Bales
Darlene R. House
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Journal of Emergency Medicine / Issue 1/2018
Print ISSN: 1865-1372
Electronic ISSN: 1865-1380
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-018-0170-2

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