Transthoracic sonography of XXXX : the role of comet tail artifacts.

@entity401 @entity1 @entity2342 @entity1143
OBJECTIVE: The value of transthoracic sonography in @entity401 is not established. This prospective study was conducted to analyze pleural and parenchymal alterations in @entity1 with @entity401 by transthoracic sonography and to compare the results with the findings of a control group. METHODS: Fifty-three @entity1 with @entity401 and 35 control subjects underwent transthoracic sonography for assessment of (1) basal @entity1143 , (2) the presence and number of comet tail artifacts, (3) thickening, (4) an irregular, fragmented pleural line, and (5) @entity2342 . RESULTS: Basal @entity1143 was revealed in 37.7% of the @entity1 with @entity401 (0% of the control subjects; P < .001), and 98.1% had multiple (>6 per scan) comet tail artifacts (14.3% of the control subjects; P < .001). Only a few artifacts (< or = 6 per scan; P < .001) were shown in 85.7% of the control subjects. All the control subjects had strongly localized comet tail artifacts and no thickened pleural line (84.9% of @entity1 ; P < .001). In 98.1 % of the @entity1 , an irregular, fragmented pleural surface could be detected (82.8% of the control subjects; P < .05). Subpleural alterations were found in 37.7% of the @entity1 and in 8.6% of the control subjects (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: @entity401 should be considered if multiple comet tail artifacts distributed over the whole surface of the lung together with a thickened and irregular, fragmented pleural line are visible. Transthoracic sonography may reflect the distribution of pleural involvement and may show @entity2342 .
