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Ultrasound imaging of congestion in heart failure: examinations beyond the heart
Author(s) -
Pellicori Pierpaolo,
Platz Elke,
Dauw Jeroen,
Maaten Jozine M.,
Martens Pieter,
Pivetta Emanuele,
Cleland John G.F.,
McMurray John J.V.,
Mullens Wilfried,
Solomon Scott D.,
Zannad Faiez,
Gargani Luna,
Girerd Nicolas
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1002/ejhf.2032
Subject(s) - medicine , heart failure , intracardiac injection , inferior vena cava , cardiology , ultrasound , central venous pressure , radiology , intensive care medicine , blood pressure , heart rate
Abstract Congestion, related to pressure and/or fluid overload, plays a central role in the pathophysiology, presentation and prognosis of heart failure and is an important therapeutic target. While symptoms and physical signs of fluid overload are required to make a clinical diagnosis of heart failure, they lack both sensitivity and specificity, which might lead to diagnostic delay and uncertainty. Over the last decades, new ultrasound methods for the detection of elevated intracardiac pressures and/or fluid overload have been developed that are more sensitive and specific, thereby enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis and facilitating treatment strategies. Accordingly, we considered that a state‐of‐the‐art review of ultrasound methods for the detection and quantification of congestion was timely, including imaging of the heart, lungs (B‐lines), kidneys (intrarenal venous flow), and venous system (inferior vena cava and internal jugular vein diameter).