The role of lung ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of community-acquired pneumonia.

CAP may be diagnosed and followed up by lung sonography (LUS), a technique that shows excellent sensitivity and specificity that is at least comparable with that of chest X-ray in two planes. LUS may be performed with any abdomen-sonography device. Therefore, LUS is a readily available diagnostic tool that does not involve radiation exposure and has wide applications especially in situations where X-ray is not available and/or not applicable. An X-ray or CT of the chest should be performed in cases of negative lung sonography and if other differential diagnoses or complications are suspected.