The basics of application of medical ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute respiratory failure

Abstract Introduction Medical ultrasonography (USG) is a cheap, accessible, reproducible, and radiation-free diagnostic tool. However, medical USG for the imaging of lungs and the pleural cavity as a diagnostic tool remains underutilized, despite its proven effectiveness, especially for life-threatening conditions such as acute respiratory failure. Aim The aim of this work is to describe actual techniques of medical USG for acute respiratory failure. Material and methods A literature review was conducted. Results and discussion We presented how to identify with USG the most common respiratory system diseases at intensive care unit patients. Conclusions Medical USG is a simple, fast, cheap, and reproducible method of evaluating the respiratory system and seems to be one of the most promising imaging techniques for the diagnosis of lung diseases and monitoring of respiratory functions by intensive care unit physicians.