Ocular Ultrasound
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen Ophthalmologic complaints comprise 2%–3% of all emergency department (ED) visits. Many of these complaints can be diagnosed by history and physical exam…
Thoracic Ultrasound
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen Thoracic ultrasonography is useful for the evaluation of pleural, pulmonary, and chest wall pathologies. The major advantages of thoracic ultrasound include bedside…
Echocardiography
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen Ultrasound of the heart, or echocardiography (echo), is among the most challenging sonographic examinations to master. However, with goal-directed training clinicians can…
Renal and Urinary System Ultrasound
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen The urinary system is very amenable to imaging with ultrasound. The liver and spleen provide windows through which the kidneys can be…
Ultrasound Evaluation of Peritoneal Fluid
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen Bedside ultrasound is an optimal first-line imaging modality for the evaluation of peritoneal free fluid. The “focused assessment with sonography in trauma”…
Ultrasound of the Inferior Vena Cava
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen Ultrasound evaluation of the inferior vena cava (IVC) provides rapid, noninvasive assessment of a patient’s hemodynamic status at the bedside. The size…
Ultrasound of the Aorta
Background and Indications for Examination Print Section Listen Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has an adult incidence of 2%–4%, with approximately 10% of these cases occurring in people over the age…
Probe Selection, Machine Controls, and Equipment
Introduction Print Section Listen A basic understanding of physics and orientation is essential for understanding ultrasound. However, when standing in front of the ultrasound machine, you need to make some…
Ultrasound Orientation
Introduction Print Section Listen Ultrasound orientation is essential to understand what is being seen in point-of-care ultrasound. There are two key aspects: how the indicator is oriented relative to the…
Ultrasound Basics
Ultrasound Physics Print Section Listen Ultrasound (US) uses the transmission and reflection of mechanical waves to generate an image. US frequency (f) is the number of wavelengths per second and…
