Abstract
Ultrasonography has been widely used in medicine for decades but often by specific users such as cardiologists, obstetricians, and radiologists. In the last several years, the use of this imaging modality has moved to the bedside, with clinicians performing and interpreting focused point of care ultrasonography to aid in immediate assessment and management of their patients. The growth of point of care ultrasonography has been facilitated by advancement in ultrasound-related technology and emerging studies and protocols demonstrating its utility in clinical practice. However, considerable challenges remain before this modality can be adopted across the spectrum of disciplines, primarily as it relates to training, competency, and standardization of usage. This review outlines the history, current state, challenges and the future direction of point of care ultrasonography specifically in the field of pediatric critical care medicine.
Highlights
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) describes the acquisition and interpretation of images by the treating clinician, the end-user, at the bedside [1]
The severity of SARS-COV-2 pneumonia as determined by lung ultrasound performed by intensivists based on alveolar and interstitial consolidation was found to have a strong association with severity as assessed by chest computed tomography (CT) [60]
Lung ultrasound can predict the need for oxygen and prognosis in patients with bronchiolitis presenting to an emergency room [63]
Summary
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) describes the acquisition and interpretation of images by the treating clinician, the end-user, at the bedside [1]. It allows for real-time, data-informed clinical decisions, without dependence on a specialist to obtain the images or to interpret them. Significant advancements have been made in pediatric critical care POCUS [3]. POCUS education, training and clinical application have improved in both pediatric critical care and emergency medicine [15]. The following sections discuss an overview of the various diagnostic and procedural POCUS applications specific to the pediatric critical care and their impact on patient management
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