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Use of ultrasound by emergency physicians has grown significantly in the last decade.
Emergent applications include the setting of trauma, abdominal aortic aneurysm, ectopic pregnancy, gall bladder, and kidney and as an aid to procedures (eg, intravenous access).
The 2008 American College of Emergency Physicians ultrasound guidelines describe the history and training process for the now 11 core applications of emergency ultrasound.
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Emergency ultrasound (EUS) is preformed by emergency physicians at the patient's bedside to rapidly answer an increasing number of focused diagnostic questions, safely guide invasive procedures, and monitor the response to treatment. The 2008 American College of Emergency Physicians ultrasound guidelines describe the history and training process for the now 11 core EUS applications. EUS is most commonly used to evaluate and manage patients with the following clinical presentations:
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Relative contraindications to EUS include patient factors such as obesity and excessive bowel gas, as well as physician inexperience. If the specific clinical question is not answered or unexpected findings are encountered, then always proceed to the next test. EUS is another advanced diagnostic and procedural tool, but is not always a replacement for more definitive testing.
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US is analogous to a submarine's sonar system. Sound waves are emitted by the US probe, travel through tissue, are reflected off structures, and then return to the probe. Travel time is translated by the computer into depth within the body. Strength of returning echoes ...