Preliminary Study On Ultrasonic Diagnosis Of Silicosis Rabbit Model Lungs By Transthoracic Ultrasound

Objective The purpose of this study was to establish a silicosis rabbit model and perform a transthoracic ultrasound scan to explore the characteristics of ultrasound imaging of the silicosis rabbit model and compare it with the chest X-ray stage.Explore the value of transthoracic ultrasound in silicosis rabbit model.Methods Twenty-four healthy New Zealand rabbits were divided into experimental group(19 cases)and control group(5 cases),the chest was prepared for skin preparation before modeling,and the ultrasound ultrasound images of lungs of all rabbits were retained according to the zones and the pleural line was measured thickness.The experimental group was injected with silica dust suspension through the trachea to establish the silicosis rabbit model,and the control group was injected with the same amount of normal saline.Two months after the model was made,a lung ultrasound examination was performed,and the scans were co-existed in different regions.According to the performance of the lung ultrasound sonogram(B line,pleural line surface,pleural line thickness,and subpleural changes),a record was made.Chest X-ray plain film and high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT)examination of the chest were performed within 2 days.The rabbits were killed with 10% potassium chloride,and lung tissue was collected for pathological specimen preparation.After HE staining,pathological changes were observed under light microscope.Correlation analysis of lung ultrasound score and chest X-ray plain film grade.Results Before the model,the lung ultrasound showed that both lungs were not detected and the B line increased,the surface of the pleural line was smooth and flat,without thickening,and no small nodules or low echo area were detected under the pleura.Ultrasound scanning results of the lungs of 19 cases of silicosis rabbits after skin preparation: both can be detected and the B-line diffuse diffusion of both lungs is increased.And the pleural line thickened,18cases(94.7%)explored the subpleural nodules and(or)low echo area.The difference between the ultrasound scores of the experimental group and the control group was statistically significant(P <0.05).Lung ultrasound score was positively correlated with chest X-ray film grading(r = 0.856,P <0.005).Conclusion The transthoracic ultrasound sonogram of the silicosis rabbit model mainly shows increased non-uniformity of the B-line of the bilateral lungs,irregular,fuzzy,and thickening of the pleural line,small nodules and low echo area under the pleura.Transthoracic lung ultrasound can reflect the severity of lung involvement in the silicosis rabbit model to a certain extent,and can be used as a supplementary examination of chest radiographs.