Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is a relatively new technology that has evolved considerably over the last decade. The advantages of POCUS, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, include ease of use, bedside availability, prevention of transfer and potentially also of virus transmission, less burdensome disinfection, and lower staff and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.

A multiorgan bedside ultrasound assessment can define the extent of the disease and may suggest an alternative diagnosis for the clinical presentation.

Computed tomography (CT) of the chest remains the best available modality for the assessment of lung parenchymal involvement in patients with COVID-19 (see COVID-19: Computed Tomography).

As lung changes in these patients tend to be distributed along the pleura, lung ultrasonography has high sensitivity and the findings are correlated with peripheral findings of thoracic CT.

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