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Non-linear Probes for Lung Sliding??

(This post was first published on blog.5minsono.com on March 15, 2019)

Its is absolutely necessary to switch to the linear transducer when looking for lung sliding (i.e., PTX)? While the linear will definitely give you the best image, watch this video to see my thoughts on using the curvilinear and even the phased array in the eval of lung sliding!  While continuing to my work with revamping the Ultrasound Leadership Academy’s curriculum, I had this thought.  Maybe we don’t need to switch every time?  Check it out!

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Jailyn

4 Comments

  1. Dear Jacob

    Thank you very much for your good tips. I am an emergency physician from Switzerland and I have been using focused ultrasound as part of the clinical examination from “curl to sock” for over 30 years. My experience with the best way to show lung sliding is slightly different from yours.

    I think that the lung sliding is best seen with low frequency probes when the artifact suppression is off (harmonic and compound imaging) and the focus is on the “pleural line”. The same applies to the B lines

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  2. Jacob, we are in an IM clinic setting, but a pneumothorax consideration comes up every once in a while, but obviously not with a severely ill patient. We use new GE Venue R2 machines and use curvilinear probes with settings optimized for the lung with all lung exams. However, to focus on the VPPI for a pneumothorax consideration, we would not only decrease the depth, but also move the focus position to the VPPI and change the frequency to RES mode. This gives an outstanding view of the VPPI. I know that as you move down the price table for machines that you can’t always move the focus position, but I think that switching to RES mode with the curvilinear (or even phased array) probe may be helpful.

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  3. Yes … the curvilinear alongside changing depth, focus & gain can be a satisfactory substitute to using the high frequency prob … thanks jacob

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