Using Philips Lumify POC Ultrasound to diagnose COVID-19

Philips Canada received the below information from a doctor at the Canadian Point of Care Ultrasound Society on how his team is utilizing Lumify for COVID-19 screening.

"We use the ultrasound device primarily to do lung ultrasound in this situation.  It can detect the earliest signs of COVID pneumonia and help with decisions to admit or monitor closely as an outpatient.  Unlike X-ray or CT it is so much easier to maintain infection control by having the system in a bag and to rapidly do rescans.  Some good literature coming out of China and Italy.  

We look for irregular, thickened pleura, skip lesions with B lines or consolidation, and sometimes small effusions in the early phases.  All findings can become more pronounced as infection worsens.

I think the handhelds are going to be extremely useful in pandemics where other resources are stretched thin and need for good infection control is required."

More lung ultrasound COVID-19 resources can be found here

Philips lung ultrasound education resources here