©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Radiol. May 28, 2016; 8(5): 460-471
Published online May 28, 2016. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v8.i5.460
Published online May 28, 2016. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v8.i5.460
Incremental value of thoracic ultrasound in intensive care units: Indications, uses, and applications
Biagio Liccardo, Francesca Martone, Sergio Severino, Antonello D’Andrea, Second University of Naples, AORN “dei Colli”, Monaldi Hospital, 80122 Naples, Italy
Paolo Trambaiolo, Intensive Care Unit, Sandro Pertini Hospital, 00157 Rome, Italy
Gian Alfonso Cibinel, Emergency Medicine Unit, ASL TO3, Pinerolo, 10064 Turin, Italy
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study, literature review and analysis, drafting, critical revision, editing, and final approval of the manuscript for submission.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest.
Correspondence to: Antonello D’Andrea, MD, PhD, Chair of Cardiology, Second University of Naples, AORN “dei Colli”, Monaldi Hospital, Via M. Schipa, 44, 80122 Naples, Italy. antonellodandrea@libero.it
Telephone: +39-081-7062355 Fax: +39-081-7064234
Received: July 19, 2015
Peer-review started: July 19, 2015
First decision: September 30, 2015
Revised: January 25, 2016
Accepted: February 14, 2016
Article in press: February 16, 2016
Published online: May 28, 2016
Processing time: 304 Days and 8.1 Hours
Peer-review started: July 19, 2015
First decision: September 30, 2015
Revised: January 25, 2016
Accepted: February 14, 2016
Article in press: February 16, 2016
Published online: May 28, 2016
Processing time: 304 Days and 8.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: The close relationship between air and water in the lungs causes a variety of artifacts on ultrasounds. At the bedside, thoracic ultrasound is based primarily on the analysis of these artifacts, with the aim of improving accuracy and safety in the diagnosis and therapy of the various varieties of pulmonary pathologic diseases which are predominantly “water-rich” or “air-rich”. The indications, contraindications, advantages, disadvantages, and techniques of thoracic ultrasound and its related procedures are analyzed in the present review.