Advances in Thoracic Ultrasound

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 20420

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Unit of Interventional and Diagnostic Ultrasound of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
Interests: diagnostics (i.e., head and neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, lung, musculoskeletal ultrasound scans); interventional ultrasound-guided procedures (i.e., biopsies, thoracentesis, pleural and peritoneal drainage, echo-guided radiofrequency ablation of liver and lung malignancies)
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Guest Editor
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Policlinico Universitario "Riuniti" di Foggia, Foggia, Italy
Interests: interstitial lung disease; asthma management; respiratory physiology; bronchoscopy; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; bronchiectasis; spirometry; ventilation; lung function; sarcoidosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, G d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Interests: magnetic resonance; diagnostic radiology; computed tomography; imaging; medical imaging; ultrasound imaging; diagnostic imaging; radiography; treatment; oxidative stress

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thoracic Ultrasound (TUS) has proven to be an important auxiliary diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of several pleuro-pulmonary disorders, with numerous advantages over traditional radiological imaging techniques (i.e., chest X-ray and chest CT scan). These advantages include being non-invasive and radiation-free, having a lower cost, the possibility of follow-up examinations, the ability to monitor treatment and its easy accessibility in all settings (including poor countries). The newer portable scanners can be used immediately at the bedside to detect pleural effusions, as well as to assess—although not to characterize—pleuro-pulmonary lesions adhering to 70% of the echographically visible pleural surface and other pathologies involving the chest wall, even in critically ill patients. Moreover, TUS guidance can be used during the percutaneous drainage of pleural effusion or the transthoracic biopsy of peripheral lung lesions, thus reducing the incidence of procedure-related pneumothorax to almost zero.

In recent decades, new sonographic technical innovations, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and sonoelastography, are becoming increasingly important in diagnostic imaging and interventional medicine. This Special Issue will focus on the recent advances in TUS, with particular interest on the advantages and limits of the diagnostic and interventional use of the new sonographic technical innovations in the study of chest diseases. 

Prof. Dr. Marco Sperandeo
Dr. Carla Maria Irene Quarato
Prof. Dr. Beatrice Feragalli
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • thoracic ultrasound
  • ultrasound imaging
  • interventional ultrasound
  • medical imaging
  • contrast-enhanced ultrasound
  • sonoelastography
  • sonographic technical innovations
  • diagnostic radiology
  • computed tomography

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

26 pages, 4465 KiB  
Review
Diaphragm Ultrasound in Critically Ill Patients on Mechanical Ventilation—Evolving Concepts
by Pauliane Vieira Santana, Letícia Zumpano Cardenas and Andre Luis Pereira de Albuquerque
Diagnostics 2023, 13(6), 1116; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13061116 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 13593
Abstract
Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a life-saving respiratory support therapy, but MV can lead to diaphragm muscle injury (myotrauma) and induce diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD). DD is relevant because it is highly prevalent and associated with significant adverse outcomes, including prolonged ventilation, weaning failures, and [...] Read more.
Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a life-saving respiratory support therapy, but MV can lead to diaphragm muscle injury (myotrauma) and induce diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD). DD is relevant because it is highly prevalent and associated with significant adverse outcomes, including prolonged ventilation, weaning failures, and mortality. The main mechanisms involved in the occurrence of myotrauma are associated with inadequate MV support in adapting to the patient’s respiratory effort (over- and under-assistance) and as a result of patient-ventilator asynchrony (PVA). The recognition of these mechanisms associated with myotrauma forced the development of myotrauma prevention strategies (MV with diaphragm protection), mainly based on titration of appropriate levels of inspiratory effort (to avoid over- and under-assistance) and to avoid PVA. Protecting the diaphragm during MV therefore requires the use of tools to monitor diaphragmatic effort and detect PVA. Diaphragm ultrasound is a non-invasive technique that can be used to monitor diaphragm function, to assess PVA, and potentially help to define diaphragmatic effort with protective ventilation. This review aims to provide clinicians with an overview of the relevance of DD and the main mechanisms underlying myotrauma, as well as the most current strategies aimed at minimizing the occurrence of myotrauma with special emphasis on the role of ultrasound in monitoring diaphragm function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thoracic Ultrasound)
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29 pages, 435 KiB  
Review
A Review on Biological Effects of Ultrasounds: Key Messages for Clinicians
by Carla Maria Irene Quarato, Donato Lacedonia, Michela Salvemini, Giulia Tuccari, Grazia Mastrodonato, Rosanna Villani, Lucia Angela Fiore, Giulia Scioscia, Antonio Mirijello, Annarita Saponara and Marco Sperandeo
Diagnostics 2023, 13(5), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13050855 - 23 Feb 2023
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5713
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) is acoustic energy that interacts with human tissues, thus, producing bioeffects that may be hazardous, especially in sensitive organs (i.e., brain, eye, heart, lung, and digestive tract) and embryos/fetuses. Two basic mechanisms of US interaction with biological systems have been identified: [...] Read more.
Ultrasound (US) is acoustic energy that interacts with human tissues, thus, producing bioeffects that may be hazardous, especially in sensitive organs (i.e., brain, eye, heart, lung, and digestive tract) and embryos/fetuses. Two basic mechanisms of US interaction with biological systems have been identified: thermal and non-thermal. As a result, thermal and mechanical indexes have been developed to provide a means of assessing the potential for biological effects from exposure to diagnostic US. The main aims of this paper were to describe the models and assumptions used to estimate the “safety” of acoustic outputs and indices and to summarize the current state of knowledge about US-induced effects on living systems deriving from in vitro models and in vivo experiments on animals. This review work has made it possible to highlight the limits associated with the use of the estimated safety values of thermal and mechanical indices relating above all to the use of new US technologies, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) shear wave elastography (SWE). US for diagnostic and research purposes has been officially declared safe, and no harmful biological effects in humans have yet been demonstrated with new imaging modalities; however, physicians should be adequately informed on the potential risks of biological effects. US exposure, according to the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle, should be as low as reasonably possible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thoracic Ultrasound)
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