Chest Ultrasound of ER Patients With Cough or SOB

Acute dyspnea (shortness of breath) is a common complaint for patients presenting to the
Emergency Department (ED). The chest radiograph (CXR) has been the mainstay in evaluating
patients with shortness of breath and often provides the timely diagnosis of pneumonia,
pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, among other primary diseases of the lung. There are
limitations with chest radiograph such as large body mass (e.g, obesity) and patient
positioning. On occasion, chest radiography findings are difficult to interpret. Lung
ultrasonography may offer a means of clarifying ambiguous results. Advantages of ultrasound
include real-time immediate evaluation, it is non-invasive and does not use radiation.

The investigators seek to perform a prospective evaluation of patients presenting to the
University of Washington Medical Center ED for cough, wheezing and/or shortness of breath.

The objective of this study to determine the usefulness of point of care lung ultrasound in
evaluating patients presenting to the ED with shortness of breath, cough and/or wheezing.

The specific aim of this study is to further define the utility of point-of-care ultrasound
in the evaluation of emergency department patients presenting with cough, wheezing and/or
shortness of breath. The investigators will compare ultrasound results to radiograph and
tomography results when available, and to the physicians initial impression.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Presenting to the Emergency Department with cough, wheezing and/or dyspnea (shortness
of breath)

- Referred for CXR and/or CT scan

Exclusion Criteria:

- Life threatening medical condition requiring immediate treatment

- Unable to sit up for a chest ultrasound

- Unable to consent

- Pregnant

- Unable to speak, read and write in English