How and When to Use Lung Ultrasound in Patients with Heart Failure?

Pulmonary congestion is a critical finding in patients with heart failure (HF) that can be quantified by lung ultrasound (LUS) through B-line quantification, the latter of which easily measured all commercially-available probes/ultrasound equipment. As such, LUS represents useful tool for assessment both acute and chronic HF. Several imaging protocols have been described literature according to different clinical settings. While most studies performed either 8 or 28 chest zone protocol, 28-zone protocol more time-consuming while 8-zone offers best trade-off no sizeable loss information. In setting, has excellent value diagnosing HF, superior physical examination X-ray, particularly instances diagnostic uncertainty. addition its value, accumulating evidence over last decade (mainly derived from ambulatory settings at discharge an HF hospitalisation) suggests also represent prognostic predicting adverse outcome reduced (HFrEF) preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). It allows real-time monitoring pulmonary decongestion during treatment Additionally, LUS-guided therapy, when compared usual care, shown reduce risk hospitalisations short- mid-term follow-up. addition, good correlation between B-lines exercise stress echocardiography invasive, bio-humoral echocardiographic indices haemodynamic congestion; are associated worse prognosis HFrEF HFpEF. Altogether, reliable stratification throughout their entire journey (i.e., emergency department/acute settings, in-hospital management, hospitalisation, outpatient setting), considerable implications.