Emergency Ultrasound

Editor-in-Chief: Casey Glass, M.D. [mailto:cglass@wfubmc.edu]

Introduction
Emergency Ultrasound is the use of portable ultrasound at the bedside of patients in the emergency department to diagnose, guide treatment, and facilitate procedures. In North America patients typically travel to a radiology suite adjacent to the Emergency Department for diagnostic radiology tests including ultrasound. In the diagnositic suite the study is performed by a technician and then interpreted by a radiologist or other specialist. Emergency Ultrasound (EUS, also known as bedside ultrasound) differs from the conventional paradigm for medical imaging in that the study is performed and interpreted contemporaneously by the emergency physician at the bedside of the patient in the Emergency Department. The primary advantage of this approach is a more rapid diagnosis and expedited treatment for emergent conditions. The major drawback is that studies are typically more limited due to the more limited imaging and interpretive skill set of emergency physicians.

FAST Scan
The FAST scan consist of scanning four areas:

1) Subxiphoid - to visualize the heart.

2) Right upper quadrant (RUQ) - to visualize Morrison's pouch and paracolic gutter.

3) Left upper quadrant (LUQ) - to visualize the spleeno-renal recess and paracolic gutter.

4) Suprapubic - to visualize Douglas' pouch.