Development of an Automated Ultrasound Signal Indicator of Lung Interstitial Syndrome.

Objectives: The number and distribution of lung ultrasound (LUS) imaging artifacts termed B-lines correlate with the presence of acute lung disease such as infection, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and pulmonary edema. Detection and interpretation of B-lines require dedicated training and is machine and operator-dependent. The goal of this study was to identify radio frequency (RF) signal features associated with B-lines in a cohort of patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema. A quantitative signal indicator could then be used in a single-element, non-imaging, wearable, automated lung ultrasound sensor (LUSS) for continuous hands-free monitoring of lung fluid.

Methods: In this prospective study a 10-zone LUS exam was performed in 16 participants, including 12 patients admitted with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema (mean age 60 ± 12 years) and 4 healthy controls (mean age 44 ± 21). Overall,160 individual LUS video clips were recorded. The LUS exams were performed with a phased array probe driven by an open-platform ultrasound system with simultaneous RF signal collection. RF data were analyzed offline for candidate B-line indicators based on signal amplitude, temporal variability, and frequency spectrum; blinded independent review of LUS images for the presence or absence of B-lines served as ground truth. Predictive performance of the signal indicators was determined with receiving operator characteristic (ROC) analysis with k-fold cross-validation.

Results: Two RF signal features-temporal variability of signal amplitude at large depths and at the pleural line-were strongly associated with B-line presence. The sensitivity and specificity of a combinatorial indicator were 93.2 and 58.5%, respectively, with cross-validated area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.91 (95% CI = 0.80-0.94).

Conclusion: A combinatorial signal indicator for use with single-element non-imaging LUSS was developed to facilitate continuous monitoring of lung fluid in patients with respiratory illness.