Multimodality imaging in COVID-19 patients: A key role from diagnosis to prognosis

The integrated clinical, laboratory and ultrasound approach is essential for thediagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of the patient's therapy in coronavirusdisease 2019 pneumonia. The ideal imaging approach in this context is not yetwell defined. Chest X-ray is characterized by low sensitivity in identifying earlierlung changes. The "bedside" pulmonary ultrasound has an undeniable series ofadvantages in the patient at high infectious risk and can provide incremental datain the respiratory intensive care for the serial control of the individual patient aswell as for the home delivery of the stabilized subjects. Pulmonary computedtomography shows high sensitivity but should not be routinely performed in allpatients, because in the first 48 h it can be absolutely negative and in the latephase the imaging findings may not change the therapeutic approach.Echocardiography should be limited to patients with hemodynamic instability toassess ventricular function and pulmonary pressures