Visualization of the right pleural effusion from the abdomen
Sometimes, pleural effusion may be noticed incidentally on abdominal scans. Below image shows transverse section of the liver with anechoic area in the posterior aspect, which corresponds to right lung/pleural […]
The Shred Sign
As we have seen previously, lobar consolidations tend to be well-defined, often accompanied by a small pleural effusion. However, small subpleural consolidations (of course, ultrasound does not detect if they […]
Lung Mass
Occasionally, you may stumble upon a lung mass while evaluating for B lines or other common pathologies. Particularly, ultrasonography is good at detecting primary and metastatic lung masses adjacent to […]
Lung contusion
While nephrologists are not the first line of contact for trauma patients, we are often asked to evaluate the need for renal replacement therapy in these patients. It is important […]
This jellyfish is not atelectasis!
Previously, we talked about atelectasis and pneumonic consolidations. Here is a unique case shared by Dr. Kylie Baker @kyliebaker888, where misdiagnosis could have lead to deleterious consequences. A 70-year-old man […]
The jellyfish sign: atelectasis
In moderate to large pleural effusions, atelectatic lung is frequently noted on the ultrasound images. Remember, when the lung is not collapsed, you would only see the artifacts (A-lines or […]
Pneumonia versus atelectasis: the differentiation can be difficult
As mentioned before, hepatization of the lung i.e., lung looking like liver tissue can occur in both pneumonia and atelectasis. Dynamic air bronchograms, when present, point toward pneumonia but static […]
B-lines do not always indicate pulmonary edema
Diffuse B-line pattern can be seen in pulmonary edema of various causes, interstitial pneumonia, diffuse parenchymal lung disease (e.g. fibrosis), ARDS etc. Whether you are dealing with cardiogenic pulmonary edema […]
Pneumonia and dynamic air bronchograms
In general, evaluation of an air-rich organ is a limitation of ultrasound because air scatters the ultrasound beam and does not allow proper visualization of the underlying structures. Therefore, normal […]