Background                

05/31/07

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Ultrasound (US) has long been recognized as a powerful tool for use in the diagnosis and evaluation of many clinical entities. Over the past decade, as higher quality, less expensive scanners were developed, US has proliferated throughout various specialties. US is no longer limited to radiology but is being utilized by at least 8 different specialties. One specialty which has contributed new research regarding ultrasound's multiple clinical applications is Emergency Medicine. The attraction of immediate bedside sonographic examinations in the evaluation of specific emergent complaints makes it an ideal tool for the emergency specialist.

The social and economic pressures to triage, diagnose and rapidly treat patients, have fueled ultrasound's use as a primary screening tool in the Emergency Department (ED). Most institutions now utilizing emergency screening ultrasounds report faster turn around times and more expedient diagnosis of potential life-threatening emergencies such as internal hemorrhage following blunt trauma, abdominal emergencies, ectopic pregnancy, pericardial tamponade, and aortic aneurysms. One recent study found that with the use of emergency physician-performed pelvic ultrasound length of stay was decreased in the emergency department by a median of 120 minutes. In response to this demand, most emergency medicine residencies now train their residents in emergency screening ultrasound as part of their standard curriculum. This number is expected to climb to near 100% over the next several years as more programs gain hospital acceptance. The individual endorsement statements from both the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine continue to support these advancements.

 

                                           

 

 
   
 
 

05/31/07  

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This site was last updated 05/31/07