POCUS Journal

Commentary

Inside the April 2026 Issue

Benjamin T. Galen - The contributions in this issue move comfortably between bedside application and broader systems thinking. In addition to riveting cases with high-quality images, the April issue contains exciting new applications for POCUS as well as novel POCUS curricula.

Conference Abstracts

Séguin Canadian POCUS Education Conference 2025

Selina Chow - This article highlights SCPEC 2025, showcasing student-led innovation, national collaboration, and new approaches to advancing POCUS education across Canada.

Conference Abstracts

Elevating the Exam: Integrating POCUS into Clinical Skills Education

Sarah Bilgasem; Mahma Ahmed; Shehla Choudhary; Noor Qureshi - Conference Abstract - Séguin Canadian POCUS Education Conference 2025

Conference Abstracts

Standardizing Undergraduate POCUS Competency in Canada through a Longitudinal EPA-Based Program

Juliette Begin; Elodie Petrecca; Robert Hovey - Conference Abstract - Séguin Canadian POCUS Education Conference 2025

Conference Abstracts

InSiGHT-US: A Two-Phase, Hybrid Simulation Model for Integrating POCUS Education into Undergraduate Medical Training

Natalia Mangos; Zahra Ridha - Conference Abstract - Séguin Canadian POCUS Education Conference 2025

Innovations in POCUS Curriculum

Laying a Strong Foundation with a Novel “Basal-Bolus” Point of Care Ultrasound Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents

Erin M. Finn; John R. Stephens; Hillary Spangler; Margaret Fennell; Olivia Hardy; Ria Dancel - This study aimed to describe the implementation of a longitudinal POCUS curriculum for first-year IM trainees and to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum in improving knowledge and confidence.

Innovations in POCUS Curriculum

Taking the Next Step in Obstetric Critical Care: Cardiac and Lung POCUS Training for Obstetric Residents

Celia A. Muoser; Avish Arora; Jay Im; Diana S. Wolfe - This study aimed to implement and assess a hands-on basic training program in cardiopulmonary POCUS for obstetric trainees.

Cardiac POCUS

Utilizing Cardiac POCUS for the Diagnosis of Dynamic Mitral Regurgitation

Sheila Wee; Suneil K. Aggarwal; David Hoare; Olusegun Olusanya - This case report highlights how serial cardiac POCUS can complement transthoracic echocardiography.

Cardiac POCUS

Pyogenic Pericarditis Leading to Cardiac Arrest: a Case Report Highlighting POCUS-Guided Pericardiocentesis

Nadine Ajami; Brian Kohen; Donny Perez; Eric Boccio - This case highlights the diagnostic and procedural utility of POCUS in managing purulent pericardial tamponade as a cause of cardiac arrest.

Cardiac POCUS

Post-Myocardial Infarction Left Ventricular Free Wall Rupture Diagnosed by POCUS

Jessica Adams; Shannon Overholt; Edward Descallar; Taryn Hoffman - This case reports a complex pericardial effusion with partially clotted blood, raising concern for left ventricular free-wall rupture as revealed by cardiac POCUS.

Vascular POCUS

Modified Venous Excess Ultrasound (mVExUS) in the Prediction of Ventilator Weaning Failure: a Cohort Study

Tiago Hermes Maeso Montes; Wagner Luis Nedel; Márcio Manozzo Boniatti - This study investigates the association between venous congestion identified by the modified venous excess ultrasound (mVExUS) score and ventilator weaning failure in critically ill patients.

Vascular POCUS

Lowering DVT-Related ED Visits via a Primary Care POCUS Pathway

William Hui; Jo-Anne Suffoletto; Steven Lin - This quality improvement study aimed to establish a primary care DVT POCUS pathway to reduce ED visits.

Vascular POCUS

Normal Anatomy Mimicking an Abdominal Aortic Dissection

Olivia Klee; Julia Buechler; Molly Fears ; Caroline Gosser; Jeffery Baker; Kahra Nix - This study describes a series of four cases where normal anatomy mimicked an abdominal aortic dissection

Vascular POCUS

VExUS in Mechanical Circulatory Support: Unveiling the Role of Doppler Ultrasound in Assessing Venous Congestion

Abhilash Koratala; Mark Jacobs; Uday Gulati; Ayush Sutaria; Ali A Naqvi; Anthony Carlese - This study reports a case of right ventricular failure requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP)

Lung POCUS

Creation of an Open-Access Lung POCUS Image Database for Deep Learning and Neural Network Applications

Andre Kumar; Pawan Nandakishore; Alexandra June Gordon; Evan Baum; Jai Madhok; Youyou Duanmu; John Kugler - This study describes a repository that provides a valuable resource for developing artificial intelligence tools to improve lung POCUS acquisition and interpretation.

Lung POCUS

Pulmonization of Liver: The Unexpected Appearance of Lung POCUS Signs in the Abdomen

Jessie Huang; Jina Bai; Todd Cutler; Gregory Mints - This case reports a patient who exhibited characteristic lung POCUS in the abdominal region.

Head and Neck POCUS

Dental Abscess on POCUS: A Retrospective Case Series Analysis

Eric Scheier; Barak Gold - This study presents the characteristics of 50 dental abscesses on pediatric POCUS examinations and their outcomes.

Head and Neck POCUS

A Pilot Study of Preoperative Submandibular POCUS to Predict Difficult Mask Ventilation

Jevaughn Davis; Erica Chemtob; Dora Lin; Esther Lee; Marianne David; Ryan Keneally; Anita Vincent; Eric Heinz - This study investigates the use of submandibular point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to determine the correlation between ultrasound findings and difficult mask ventilation.

Head and Neck POCUS

POCUS in the Management of Complications with Barbed Polydioxanone (PDO) Threads in Aesthetic Medicine: Case Report

Rhaina Alves Setúbal; Rachel Brazuna Solidonio; Luiz Filipe Barbosa Martins; Daniel Almeida Ferreira Barbosa; Thâmara Manoela Marinho Bezerra; Delane Viana Gondim; Luane Macêdo de Sousa - This case illustrates how POCUS can assist in diagnosing and guiding the treatment of aesthetic complications.

Ocular POCUS

Intraocular Neoplasm Suggested by Ocular POCUS Examination

Felipe Hernández-Restrepo; Santiago Hernández-Moreno; Alejandro Cardozo-Ocampo - This case reports the use of ocular POCUS examination to help in the diagnosis of an intraocular neoplasm.

Musculoskeletal and Soft Tissue POCUS

POCUS to Evaluate for Achilles Tendon Involvement in Ankle Lacerations

Ana Ruiz Castaneda; Gretel Rodriguez; Olivia Peña; Paul Khalil - This case series describes two patients with ankle lacerations in whom Achilles tendon involvement was evaluated using POCUS.

Gastrointestinal POCUS

Diagnosis of Pneumoperitoneum Using POCUS

Maria Paulina Maya Jaramillo; Alejandro Cardozo Ocampo - This case report reinforces the value of integrating POCUS into the initial evaluation of acute abdominal pain, suggesting its use as an adjunct to traditional imaging methods in the emergency department.

Gastrointestinal POCUS

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Masquerading as Heart Failure: When POCUS “Incidentally” Detects Cancer

Luke Shenton; Wesley Chow; Bruce Kimura, - This case illustrates a rare phenomenon of HCC masquerading as heart failure and underscores the potential value and challenges of incorporating POCUS into outpatient evaluations for earlier cancer detection.

Genitourinary POCUS

POCUS in Differentiating Etiology of Acute Scrotum

Matthew Starr; Jamie Baydoun - This case report describes the use of POCUS to diagnose emphysematous epididymo-orchitis.

Obstetric POCUS

Current Use and Barriers to POCUS in Women’s Health: A National Survey of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

Megha Gupta; Sarah Hanson; Stephen Wagner; Amir A. Shamshirsaz; Angela Ranzini; Michael J. Mader; Nilam J. Soni - This study characterizes the current use of maternal POCUS, identify barriers to its adoption, and explore opportunities for greater integration into clinical practice nationally among Women’s Health (WH) departments within the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.

Pediatric POCUS

Cranial POCUS in Neonates and Infants: Structured Evidence Synthesis and Proposal of the KORE Brain POCUS Protocol

Salvatore Michele Carnazzo; Desirèe Balconara; Salvatore Scirè Calabrisotto; Andrea Domenico Praticò - This study aimed to synthesize the current literature on cranial POCUS in neonates and infants and propose a structured clinical protocol.

Pediatric POCUS

Diagnosis of a Right Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in a Neonate with POCUS

Alyssa DaVolio; Brandon S. Hays; Matthew O. Thompson; Michael J. Walsh; Parvesh M. Garg; Ricardo J. Rodriguez - This case demonstrates the utility of lung POCUS as an initial diagnostic tool in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for CDH.

Pediatric POCUS

Visualizing an Umbilical Venous Catheter in Malposition Using POCUS

Jacob Kelner; Douglas Moote - This case reports a UVC in malposition in the liver viewed on POCUS after appearing to be in the correct position on both anteroposterior (AP) and lateral X-rays.