Bedside Ultrasound: A Comprehensive Guide for Healthcare Professionals

Bedside ultrasound (point-of-care ultrasonography, POCUS) uses ultrasound at the patient's bedside for real-time imaging. Performed by emergency physicians, intensivists, critical care providers in EDs, ICUs, wards.

Common Uses

1. Cardiac assessment: Heart structure/function, size, wall thickness, valves, pericardial effusion; diagnose heart failure, valvular disease, myocardial dysfunction.
2. Lung evaluation: Pleural effusions, pneumothorax, consolidation; diagnose pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pleural diseases.
3. Abdominal evaluation: Liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, spleen; detect gallstones, cirrhosis, masses, stones, fluid.
4. Vascular assessment: Blood flow in aorta, vena cava, peripheral vessels; detect DVT, aortic aneurysms, peripheral vascular disease.
5. Obstetric/gynecologic: Fetal well-being, gestational age, placenta, pelvic masses, ectopic pregnancy.
6. Procedural guidance: Central line insertion, thoracentesis, paracentesis, nerve blocks.

Advantages: portable, real-time, dynamic, facilitates rapid diagnosis. Requires specialized training in acquisition, interpretation, clinical integration.