Ultrasound Is Rarely Useful for Detection of Skin Abscesses

Among the few cases in which clinicians were uncertain about the presence or absence of an abscess, ultrasonography findings were only 69% sensitive and 80% specific.

Skin abscesses generally require incision and drainage, whereas simple cellulitis is treated with antibiotics alone. Since treatment differs, accurate differentiation between the two diagnoses is important, but not always clinically obvious.

To compare the accuracy of clinical versus ultrasonography-based evaluations in identifying skin abscesses in emergency department (ED) patients, researchers conducted a prospective, observational, multicenter study involving 1216 ED patients (age, >12 years) with acute skin and soft tissue infections. Clinicians evaluated the presence or absence of abscesses initially by clinical assessment and then by using bedside ultrasonography. Patients were followed up at 1 week to determine whether an abscess had…

Reviewing Author

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Ultrasound Is Rarely Useful for Detection of Skin Abscesses

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Reviewing Author