Dyspnea

Dyspnea is the sensation of difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, and it is one of the most common symptoms that leads to ultrasound evaluation. Echocardiography is frequently ordered to evaluate dyspnea because many cardiac conditions, including heart failure, valvular heart disease, pericardial effusion, and pulmonary hypertension, can cause breathing difficulty. Point-of-care lung ultrasound has also become an invaluable tool for evaluating dyspnea at the bedside, using B-lines to detect pulmonary edema, assessing for pleural effusion, and checking for pneumothorax. The combination of cardiac and lung ultrasound can rapidly narrow the differential diagnosis in a patient presenting with acute shortness of breath.