Abstract

Objective: This retrospective pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of Lung Ultrasound Surface Wave Elastography (LUSWE) as a quantitative Point-of-Care tool for assessing cardiogenic pulmonary edema in patients with acute congestive heart failure. Methods: A small cohort of 9 patients admitted for acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema underwent B-mode lung ultrasound and LUSWE assessment. Examinations were performed at admission and 2 days after initiating diuretic therapy. We retrospectively analyzed the total lung B-lines and lung surface wave speeds (at 150 and 200 Hz), correlating them with the patients’ net fluid balance. Results: Effective diuresis was achieved in the cohort (average net fluid balance of -2.3L). This was accompanied by a significant reduction in pulmonary edema on B-mode ultrasound (average decrease of 11 B-lines). Concurrently, LUSWE measurements demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in wave speed from admission to follow-up (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that LUSWE can detect quantitative changes in superficial lung stiffness corresponding to diuresis-mediated reduction of edema. The technique shows promise as a noninvasive, quantitative adjunct for Point-of-Care assessment, warranting further investigation in larger, prospective studies.