Comparison of chest radiograph scoring to lung weight as a quantitative index of pulmonary edema in organ donors.
Ware LB, Neyrinck A, et al.Clinical Transplantation 2012; 26(5):665-671.
Aims
To evaluate a four-quadrant chest radiograph scoring system as a non-invasive method for assessing the degree of pulmonary edema in donors whose lungs were not used for transplantation.
Interventions
Four-quadrant chest radiographic scoring system versus quantification of pulmonary edema. Lungs were excised without perfusion and individually weighed. The total weight of each lung was recorded as a quantitative index of pulmonary edema.
Participants
84 donors whose lungs were not used for the Beta-Agonist for Oxygenation in Lung Donors (BOLD study, a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial of nebulized albuterol versus placebo to enhance the resolution of pulmonary edema in 500 brain dead organ donors).
Outcomes
Edema scoring, presence or absence of atelectasis (defined as hazy opacity with volume loss).
Follow-up
24 hours
CET Conclusions
This chest radiographic scoring system did correlate well with total lung weight and may potentially be useful to assess the clinical severity of pulmonary edema and also might be useful in evaluating donor lungs as suitable for lung transplantation.
Quality notes
Quality assessment not appropriate.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT00310401