ABSTRACT
Although the introduction of diagnostic sonography of the abdomen dates back to the late 1940s, ultrasonography of the thorax lagged behind by many decades. The inability of ultrasound (US) to penetrate aerated tissue has diverted chest physicians from recognizing its excellent ability to visualize the chest wall, pleura and pathology of lung abutting the pleura. The major advantages of thoracic US include its dynamic properties, low cost, lack of radiation, mobility and short examination time.1-6 It is also well suited for use in intensive care units, where suboptimal conditions for radiography make the diagnosis of clinically significant thoracic abnormalities difficult.3 Furthermore, US of the chest is increasingly being used to guide interventional procedures, such as thoracentesis, biopsies of the chest wall, pleura or abutting lung and the placement of intercostal drains. The indications for pleural and chest wall US are summarized in Table 21.1. The main aim of this chapter is to demystify ultrasonography for the chest physician by reviewing the basic principles and techniques from the perspective of the non-radiologist.
