Clinical application of Lung Ultrasound for the management of pregnant women with suspicion of COVID-19: A review of literature

COVID-19 is an infectious illness caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. Recent studies underlined the need for chest computed tomography (CT) in COVID-19 patients to assess lung involvement. However, CT has a series of disadvantages, such as the need to move the patient from an isolation room to a Radiology Department, the difficulty in protecting and disinfecting the machine, the high cost of the equipment. These disadvantages apply especially to pregnant women, in particular because of the exposure to a significant amount of radiation to the fetus. In order to avoid these disadvantages, a series of manuscript were published on the alternative use of Lung Ultrasound (LUS) during COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, we carried out a review of the published studies and case reports, in order to underline the advantages, the correct technique, the typical LUS manifestations of COVID-19 and to help researchers in the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease, especially for obstetricians and gynecologists who already use ultrasound in their clinical practice.