Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of novices integrating lung ultrasound into the care of breathless older patients.

Lung ultrasound is frequently used to identify pulmonary oedema, using the 'B line' artefact. A small study in 2011 suggested that novice sonologists had a potential diagnostic accuracy of 85%, when performing the test without reference to other patient information. We aimed to test the overall diagnostic accuracy of novice clinician sonologists incorporating the 2011 protocol into routine assessment of the patient.