Abstract: Pleural effusion & lung diseases are common problems affecting all age groups which require early diagnosis and treatment. Ultrasound has high accuracy in the diagnosis of pleural & peripheral lung diseases and has high efficacy in tapping pleural effusion & in differentiating solid from cystic lung masses.
Aim: To evaluate the precise location, extent of pleural & lung diseases and compare the efficacy & sensitivity of ultrasound with that of plain skiagrams.
Materials & Methods: Hundred patients admitted or attending out-patient department of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital & Chest and TB Hospital attached to Govt. Medical College, Amritsar of all ages and having pleural based opacities on plain skiagram were selected for the study. All the patients selected for the study were examined first radiographically. Standard PA and lateral skiagrams wherever required were taken. After this, the patients were examined by ultrasound and areas to be examined were selected on the basis of information available from skiagrams. Patients were examined in sitting and lying down position. The nature of lesion was evaluated and the skin to target depth was measured. The side for needle puncture was marked on the skin where required.
Ultrasound findings, the probable diagnosis and the position in which site for puncture has been marked were recorded on the file. Image was recorded on single sided film using multi-format camera.
Results : Overall accuracy of plain X-ray in case of pleural effusion was 71.8% and in case of other lung disease was 80.9% whereas in case of ultrasound was 96.9% and 95.2% respectively Difference in accuracy of plain X-Ray and ultra sound alone is significant.
Conclusion: Sonography is the best modality for very ill patients as it causes minimum discomfort & can be used at bed side. Best results can be obtained by combining it with conventional x-rays.
