Dear Ultrasound Insider,
Ultrasound has emerged as a useful tool during the COVID-19 pandemic to diagnose and manage patients, thanks in large part to its portability and ease of use. Now, another of the modality's features -- a lack of ionizing radiation -- is emerging as a key advantage for imaging one of the most vulnerable patient populations: neonates.
Researchers from Wuhan, China, used lung ultrasound scans to diagnose and assess the severity of COVID-19 in infants who most likely were infected by their mothers. What's more, the clinicians developed a lung ultrasound scoring system to quantify the severity of the disease on the lungs of the neonates. Find out how well it worked in this edition's Insider Exclusive.
In related COVID news, heart complications like inflammatory heart disease have been reported after infection with the novel coronavirus. So what happens to athletes who have experienced COVID-19? Can they return to play? Fortunately, a new study has some reassuring findings.
People who have received COVID-19 vaccines have reported experiencing phenomena that are visible on imaging exams, and ultrasound is no exception. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles described what to look for in a recent study.
In other important ultrasound news, new tools are becoming available to enhance the ability of novice users to perform diagnostic-quality point-of-care-ultrasound exams. Researchers from Northwestern University reported on their experience with an artificial intelligence-based software application that helped guide critical care physicians who had no experience performing ultrasound.
Plus, check out the following recent ultrasound stories:
- Nurses with no training in ultrasound were able to acquire echocardiography images with the guidance of AI-based software.
- Researchers from Spain used lung ultrasound scores to assess patients with COVID-19.
- A program in Nepal used echocardiography to screen kids for rheumatic heart disease, which is prevalent in many underdeveloped areas of the world.
- In a move that surprised no one, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force declined to recommend screening for carotid artery stenosis, reiterating its previous stance.
Find more articles like these by regularly visiting your Ultrasound Community!
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
