Application of dynamic air bronchograms on lung ultrasound to diagnose pneumonia in undifferentiated respiratory distress

Abstract

Patients presenting with undifferentiated respiratory distress remain a diagnostic dilemma. The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to evaluate the lungs and pleural cavities can improve diagnostic uncertainty in these patients. When visualizing consolidated lung tissue with POCUS, one may encounter static or dynamic air bronchograms. Static air bronchograms are seen in atelectasis and pneumonia, whereas dynamic air bronchograms are highly specific for pneumonia. We describe a case of a critically ill patient where bedside thoracic ultrasound helped to narrow the differential diagnosis early in the resuscitation, while standard radiographs were non-diagnostic.

Keywords: Dynamic air bronchogram; Lung ultrasound; Pneumonia; Point-of-care ultrasound; Pulmonary ultrasound; Thoracic ultrasound; Undifferentiated respiratory distress.