Point-of-Care Ultrasound Can Help Rule Out Pulmonary Embolism

Multiorgan ultrasound exams combined with clinical assessment might limit unnecessary radiologic studies.

Several medical societies have identified computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) as an overused test. One potential alternative approach is combined point-of-care (POC) ultrasound to diagnose pulmonary embolism (PE) or determine other plausible diagnoses. In two studies, investigators evaluated the feasibility of this approach.

In a U.S. study, ultrasound-trained physician-investigators performed combined thoracic, limited cardiac, and lower-extremity POC ultrasound exams before or within 3 hours after CTPA in 96 patients in whom CTPA had been ordered to rule out PE. After completion of the POC studies and with no further clinical information, the investigators documented whether they believed that CTPA was necessary. Of the 56 pa…

Reviewing Author

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Can Help Rule Out Pulmonary Embolism

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Reviewing Author