Article Tags: abdominal point of care ultrasound

Return of the Living Dead Gut – A Case Report of Ischemic Colitis Identified on Point of Care Ultrasound 

Kandria Ledesma, MD; Joseph Kim, MD; Allison Cohen, MD; Nicholas Bielawa, PA-C; Mathew Nelson, DO – Ischemic colitis is the most common form of gastrointestinal ischemia [1]. The diagnosis of ischemic colitis is made by clinical data and computed tomography (CT) imaging of the abdomen and pelvis [1]. While colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for diagnosis, this is not performed in the emergency department (ED) [2]. Few studies have been performed to describe the sonographic findings of ischemic colitis using point of care ultrasound (POCUS). We report a case that highlights the sonographic findings of ischemic colitis in a patient who had two separate visits to the ED, showcasing the utility of POCUS in making this diagnosis.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Abdominal Point of Care Ultrasound in Primary Care: Study Design and Protocol 

Antonio Calvo Cebrián, MD; Rafael Alonso Roca, MD; Ignacio Manuel Sánchez Barrancos, MD – The aim of this study is to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal point of care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by family physicians (FPs) in primary care (PC), in comparison with the findings in the medical record (MR) at 12 months of follow-up. This study is conducted entirely in PC healthcare centers in Spain. Abdominal ultrasound scans performed by FPs (selected on the basis of their ultrasound knowledge and experience) are compared with the findings, or not, in the patient’s MR after a 12-month follow-up period.