Radiology Key

Key Points • Point-of-care ultrasound is used to evaluate symptomatic pregnant patients in the first trimester to accurately exclude ectopic pregnancy using either a transabdominal or transvaginal approach. • Combining…

Key Points • Providers must readily recognize the five main discriminating artifacts produced by lung ultrasound: lung sliding, A-lines, B-lines, consolidation, and effusion. • The presence or absence of discrete…

Key Points • Detection of cardiac standstill with bedside ultrasound can guide decision making regarding whether to continue resuscitative efforts. • Point-of-care ultrasound can identify patients with pseudo-pulseless electrical activity,…

Key Points • Ultrasound-guided single-injection nerve blocks can be a primary or adjunctive tool to reduce pain from acute injuries or uncomfortable procedures. • Targeted deposition of local anesthetic near…

Key Points • The EFAST (Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma) exam includes rapid assessment for intra-abdominal hemorrhage (right upper quadrant (RUQ), left upper quadrant (LUQ), and pelvic windows),…

Key Points • Measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) by ocular ultrasound provides a rapid, noninvasive quantitative method to assess for elevated intracranial pressure at the bedside, with…

Key Points • Recognizing normal thyroid gland anatomy and architecture is important for providers utilizing ultrasound at the bedside. • Thyroid nodules are common, but nodules with concerning findings by…

Key Points • Ultrasound guidance for placement of central venous catheters reduces mechanical complications, including pneumothorax and arterial puncture, and has become the standard of care for placement in the…

Key Points • Ultrasound increases the success rate of lumbar puncture by improving landmark identification of the lumbar spine’s midline and interspaces. • Identification of spinal landmarks with ultrasound relies…

Key Points • Evaluation of enlarged lymph nodes with ultrasound includes assessment of size, shape, echogenicity, borders, and vascularity. In general, normal-sized lymph nodes are <1 cm, but size varies by…