Challenging Dilemma: Is it Rainstorm, Hailstorm, Snowstorm, or Snowball?

Abstract

The increasing use of lung ultrasound has consistently shown its high sensitivity compared to stethoscopes and radiographs for acute inflammatory and cardiovascular pathologies. It saves time, is relatively cost-effective, bedside, and provides information on adjacent systems to the respiratory system while avoiding radiation exposure [1-6]. Lung ultrasound holds particular value not only in detecting abnormal lung conditions but often plays a decisive role in diagnosis or further diagnostic steps. Lesions near the thoracic wall can be identified using lung ultrasound, which provides good imaging for diagnosing lung diseases. Ultrasound examination of the liver may reveal concurrent liver involvement in up to 15% of individuals with lung echinococcus cyst [7,8]. In rare cases, the presence of fluid in the thoracic cavity is mistakenly identified through lung ultrasound as simple parapneumonic pleural effusion [9]. In this study, we aim to demonstrate the importance of lung ultrasound in resolving diagnostic dilemmas: plankton sign, hailstorm, snowstorm, or snowball [10-13] in a case of lung echinococcus cyst. The video image of the presentation of lung echinococcus cyst is nearly unique in our knowledge.