Article Tags: ultrasound

POCUS Examination of the Mediastinum in Children: A Simplified and Standardized Protocol for Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Isabelle Munyangaju; Lucia Carratala-Castro; Sozinho Acacio; José Miguel Escudero Fernández; Antoni Soriano-Arandes; Maria Espiau; Begoña Santiago Garcia; Alicia Hernanz-Lobo; Ángel M. Lancharro Zapata; Aleix Soler-Garcia; Enrique Ladera; Antoni Noguera-Julian; Angela Manzanares; Daniel Blazquez; Elisa Aguirre Pascual; José Massingue; Jessica Dalsuco; Justina Bramugy; Isabelle Thierry-Chefque Bassat; Danilo Buonsenso; Elisa Lopez-Varela; Xavier Serres-Créixams – This study shows that Mediastinal POCUS, guided by a standardized protocol, represents a safe, affordable, point-of-care, and non-ionizing option for identifying mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Its application holds promise for improving the diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis, especially in settings with limited access to advanced radiological imaging.

The Expanding Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Paradigm

Katie Wiskar – Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is an ever-evolving technology that has become integral to clinical practice in a variety of domains. Since its inception in Emergency Medicine (EM) in the 1980s, POCUS has traditionally been viewed as a tool to make binary decisions in response to focused clinical questions.

Parotid Sialolithiasis Diagnosed on Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

Heather Lystad; Elaine Yu; Rachna Subramony – A 58-year-old woman with a past medical history of irritable bowel syndrome presented to the emergency department due to gradual swelling and pain on the left side of her face for three weeks. She also reported feeling a lump on her inner cheek. The patient experienced worsened swelling, pain with opening her mouth, and shooting pains on the left side of her face. She denied any fevers or chills.

Lung Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy and Respiratory Therapy Practices: Current Status and Future Directions

George Ntoumenopoulos, Georgina A. Pizimolas, Sarine Mani, Simon Hayward, Jane Lockstone – Lung Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) strongly influences physiotherapy and respiratory therapy clinical decision-making in the intensive care unit (ICU). The uptake of Lung POCUS training by physiotherapists and respiratory therapists is low in some countries, often due to many barriers to its implementation.

Sonographic Detection of Iatrogenic Carotid Artery Guidewires During Internal Jugular Vein Catheterization

James  H. Moak, Kristen C. Swann, Matthew M. Kongkatong, Jakob E. Ottenhoff, Christopher D. Thom – Visualization of the guidewire during internal jugular (IJ) vein catheterization by point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has been recommended for avoiding inadvertent carotid artery dilation. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of POCUS for identifying guidewires inappropriately placed in the carotid artery.

Hematometra: A Rare Case of Pelvic Pain in Females Identified with Point of Care Ultrasound 

Andrew R. Helber, MD; Margaret Provencher, MD; Christy Moore, BS; Nova Panebianco, MD  – The differential diagnosis for abdominal or pelvic pain in women of child-bearing age that present to the emergency department is broad. A rare cause of abdominal and pelvic pain is hematometra, or a collection of blood products within the uterus. While blood is normally expelled through menses, this process is disrupted in some patients due to congenital or acquired abnormalities.

Resolution of Sonographic Appendicitis in Pediatrics: a Point of Care Ultrasound Case-Series 

Eric Scheier, MD; Benjamin Taragin, MD – Studies of pediatric appendicitis treated conservatively show a considerable rate of recurrence. Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) imaging at our facility is routinely performed for abdominal pain and may be more likely than radiology-performed ultrasound to encounter cases that then self-resolve. We present a case series collected from a POCUS quality assurance review from 2019 through 2022.

Testicular Torsion with Intact Blood Flow: A Point of Care Ultrasound Case-Series 

Eric Scheier, MD – Studies have demonstrated the high sensitivity and specificity of pediatric emergency department (PED) point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in the evaluation of testicular torsion. Rarely, testicular torsion may present with intact blood flow. Here, we present a case series of four children with testicular torsion confirmed intraoperatively, who had intact blood flow on POCUS.

Effectiveness of a Brief Point of Care Ultrasound Course at a National Nephrology Conference 

Abhilash Koratala, MD; Nilam J. Soni, MD MS; Rupal Mehta, MD; Nathaniel Reisinger, MD – The rising demand for point of care ultrasound (POCUS) instruction during nephrology fellowship has been limited due to a shortage of trained faculty and courses designed specifically for nephrologists. A hands-on POCUS pre-course was organized during the April 2023 National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Spring Clinical Meeting to address this challenge. The course consisted of pre-recorded lectures and a 4-hour hands-on workshop guided by multidisciplinary POCUS experts.

Cough Causing Abdominal Pain? A Rapid POCUS Diagnosis of Rectus Sheath Hematoma

William Noel; Brian B. Donahue – A 59-year-old man with past medical history including obesity status post gastric banding surgery and atrial fibrillation on rivaroxaban, presented to the emergency department with a complaint of focal pain to his right abdomen along with areas of visible bruising. He noted that since his diagnosis of COVID-19 a week prior, he had been having paroxysms of coughing. During one episode of coughing a few days prior to seeking medical care, the patient recalled a “ripping” sensation in his right abdomen followed by intermittent achiness and bruising to that area.