Don't Try to Rule Out Retinal Detachment with POC Ultrasound in the ED

Point of care (POC) ocular ultrasound is becoming commonly used by emergency physicians in the evaluation of emergency department (ED) patients with suspected retinal detachment. It is noninvasive, quick, and relatively easy to perform with minimal training. However, its test characteristics for general emergency physicians with varying degrees of ultrasound experience are unknown. This prospective study assessed the sensitivity and specificity of POC ocular ultrasound for retinal detachment when performed by emergency physicians with different levels of training at a single academic emergency department in British Columbia. The reference standard was the final diagnosis by a retina specialist, who was blinded to the ED ultrasound results.

A…