title: Bedside lung ultrasound in the assessment of alveolar-interstitial syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the potential of bedside lung ultrasound to diagnose the radiologic alveolar-interstitial syndrome (AIS) in patients admitted to an emergency medicine unit and to estimate the occurrence of ultrasound pattern of diffuse and multiple comet tail artifacts in diseases involving lung interstitium.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ultrasonic feature of multiple and diffuse comet tail artifacts B line was investigated in each of 300 consecutive patients within 48 hours after admission to our emergency medicine unit. Sonographic examination was performed at bedside in a supine position. Eight anterolateral ultrasound chest intercostal scans were obtained for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The artifact showed a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 97.7% in recognition of radiologic AIS. Corresponding figures in the identification of a disease involving lung interstitium were 85.3% and 96.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comet tail artifact B line is a lung ultrasound sign reasonably accurate for diagnosing AIS at bedside.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, S. Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, TO, 10043, Italy. gio.volpicelli@tin.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Volpicelli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mussa
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardinale
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casoli
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perotto
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fava
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frascisco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography