Lung ultrasound for pneumonia diagnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic performance.
J Med Imaging Radiat SciJun 22, 2026 (epub)
Syed Muhammad Yousaf Farooq, Shehzad Yousaf, Muhammad Moazzam et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of lung ultrasound (LUS) for pneumonia across diverse patient populations. Analyzing 53 studies with 13,847 patients, the pooled sensitivity of LUS was found to be 93.9%, and specificity was 84.9%. These results indicate that LUS is a highly accurate diagnostic tool for pneumonia.
Key findings
- Pooled sensitivity of lung ultrasound for pneumonia diagnosis was 93.9% (95% CI: 90.9-96.0).
- Pooled specificity of lung ultrasound was 84.9% (95% CI: 77.8-90.0).
- The total diagnostic odds ratio for lung ultrasound was 87.43 (95% CI: 45.90-166.54).
- Positive likelihood ratio was 6.23, and negative likelihood ratio was 0.07 (95% CI: 0.047-0.108).
Why it matters
Accurate diagnosis of pneumonia is crucial for effective treatment. Lung ultrasound offers a portable, radiation-free alternative to traditional imaging methods, making it particularly valuable in settings with limited access to advanced imaging.