POCUS and Digital Tomosynthesis Correlation When Used with COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients
theultrasoundjournal.springeropen.comPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in primary care has good sensitivity and specificity when compared to digital tomosynthesis as regards the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with the clinical suspicion of pulmonary involvement.
In the case of these patients in particular, clinical ultrasound findings could, along with age and oxygen saturation, improve decision-making in primary care. We propose a management algorithm for these patients, and as future work, there is a need to confirm its usefulness and as regards developing statistical models with which to diagnose COVID-19 pneumonia and predict its severity.
Further research is particularly required for elderly and immobilised patients in the primary care setting.
The study was carried out between November 2020 and January 2021 with 70 patients (40 of whom had pneumonia, confirmed by means of DT).
Those with pneumonia were older, had a higher proportion of arterial hypertension and lower oxygen saturation (sO2).
The number of B lines was higher in patients with pneumonia (16.53 vs. 4.3, pā<ā0.001).