Comparative study between Lung ultrasound and Chest CT in diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

2 Emergency and Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/aimj.2025.402708.2642

Abstract

Background: A significant portion of all traumas occur in the chest. Almost 10% of trauma patients end up in the hospital because of this. Different kinds and levels of chest trauma cause different kinds of injuries, which in turn cause different kinds of consequences, and those outcomes show up in the corresponding death rate.
Aim and objectives: Assessment of the use of chest computed tomography (CT) and lung ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of pneumothorax in patients with a history of trauma, as well as comparisons between the two methods for the purpose of early detection and treatment of this condition.
Subjects and methods: From December 2023 through December 2024, thirty trauma patients presenting with respiratory distress were enrolled in this comparative study. The patients were admitted to the emergency and critical care departments of Al-Azhar University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt.
Results: Twenty-four (80%) patients were diagnosed with traumatic pneumothorax by lung ultrasound. 26(86.67%) patients diagnosed with traumatic pneumothorax by chest CT. Chest ultrasound can detect traumatic pneumothorax with (Kappa=0.524) 88.5% sensitivity, 75% specificity, 95.8% PPV, and 50% NPV.
Conclusion: In trauma patients with polytrauma or direct chest trauma, chest ultrasound is a quick, easy, readily available, and useful diagnostic technique for pneumothorax (Kappa=0.524) with an 88.5% sensitivity and 75% specificity.

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