ROLE OF USG IN EARLY DETECTION AND PREDICTING SEVERITY OF DENGUE INFECTION

Background: Early detection and severity assessment are crucial for managing dengue fever. Ultrasound (USG) imaging can help identify key features such as capillary leakage and organ involvement, aiding in diagnosis and prognosis. Aims: To correlate ultrasound findings with the severity of dengue infection. To evaluate USGs sensitivity in detecting early capillary leakage and its prognostic value. Methods: The study involved 66 patients (40 males, 26 females aged 12-70) with serologically confirmed dengue, observed from August 2022 to October 2023. USG was performed within 3 days of fever onset and again after 1 week. Results: Day 1-3: Gallbladder wall thickening (60.6%) and pericholecystic fluid were common. Pleural effusion (34.8%) was observed in milder cases. Day 7: Gallbladder wall thickening persisted in 89.4%. New findings included ascites (24.2%), bilateral pleural effusion (31.8%), and pericardial effusion (9.1%). Severe cases showed hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Conclusion: USG is a valuable tool for early detection and severity assessment of dengue fever. Key findings like gallbladder wall thickening and pleural effusion can help predict disease severity and guide clinical management.