Critical Care
The Southwest Journal of Pulmonary and Critical Care publishes articles directed to those who treat patients in the ICU, CCU and SICU including chest physicians, surgeons, pediatricians, pharmacists/pharmacologists, anesthesiologists, critical care nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Manuscripts may be either basic or clinical original investigations or review articles. Potential authors of review articles are encouraged to contact the editors before submission, however, unsolicited review articles will be considered.
Ultrasound for Critical Care Physicians: Shortness of Breath
Matthew JK Douglas, MD
David Verbunker, MD
Jarrod Mosier, MD
Department of Emergency Medicine
Banner University Medical Center Tucson
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
Figure 1. Video of the right thoracic ultrasound (coronal).
An 85 year old woman with a history of congestive heart failure and diabetes presented to the emergency department with progressive shortness of breath. She had recently been discharged from another hospital where she had been admitted for several days for community acquired pneumonia. The patient was in respiratory distress on arrival with tachypnea, increased work of breathing, and hypoxia despite supplemental oxygen with a non-rebreather mask and she was subsequently intubated. ED point-of-care ultrasound was performed of the right hemithorax.
What does Figure 1 demonstrate? (Click on the correct answer for the second of two panels and an explanation)
- Intravascular volume depletion
- Normal lung aeration
- Numerous B-lines
- Pleural effusion and consolidation
- Pneumothorax
Cite as: Douglas MJK, Verbunker D, Mosier J. Ultrasound for critical care physicians: shortness of breath. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2015;11(3):112-3. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc116-15 PDF