Review Article   

Minerva Cardiology and Angiology 2022 Jun 29

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5683.22.06074-4

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Role of cardiac and lung ultrasound in the COVID-19 era

Gloria SANTANGELO ¹, Filippo TORIELLO ², Andrea FAGGIANO ², Michael Y. HENEIN ³, Stefano CARUGO ², Pompilio FAGGIANO ⁴ ✉

¹ Division of Cardiology, Department of Health Sciences, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; ² Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; ³ Institute of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, University of Umea, Umea, Sweden; ⁴ Unit of Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Department, Poliambulanza Foundation, Brescia, Italy

SARS-CoV-2 mainly affects the respiratory system, from mild upper respiratory symptoms in acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, a significant amount of evidence has demonstrated that Coronavirus disease 2019 affects the cardiovascular system in many ways and has manifestations ranging from asymptomatic increases in cardiac biomarkers for cardiovascular and cardiac collapse arrest. The primary diagnostic method of COVID-19 is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swabs. There is growing evidence regarding the 2019 coronavirus disease imaging results on chest x-rays and computed tomography but the accessibility to standard diagnostic methods may be limited during the pandemic. Consequently, the significance and potential of bedside diagnostic modalities increases, including pulmonary and cardiac ultrasound, that are cost-effective, widely available, and provide information that can influence management. This review summarizes wide pattern of cardiac and pulmonary anomalies diagnosed by ultrasound, comparing them with other imaging methods such as magnetic resonance and computed tomography, discusses the possible mechanisms involved and the prognostic role.

KEY WORDS: COVID-19; Echocardiography; Lung ultrasound; ARDS; Myocardial injury