Listen
In this episode, host Alyssa Watson, DVM, welcomes Søren Boysen, DVM, DACVECC, to talk about his recent Clinician’s Brief articles on the benefits and limitations of POCUS in general practice. Using point-of-care ultrasound is becoming more accessible, and Dr. Boysen details the questions you can expect to answer and the confidence you’ll gain by adopting this modality. He also gives a helpful explanation on ultrasound settings.
Watch
Key Takeaways
POCUS = Point Of Care Ultrasound, and it’s a quick study intended to answer focused questions in the emergency setting.
Free fluid in the abdomen or thorax, v-lines on the lungs, left atrial size, gall bladder, urinary bladder, and uterine distension are all attainable targets.
Hand-held units are often sufficient, and the settings that matter most are depth, gain (brightness/darkness), frequency (higher = better resolution; lower = better penetration), and freeze/track.
Be careful about “ruling out” things—not finding something on POCUS doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Be prepared for some incidental findings, and be wary of your own confirmation bias.
Resources:
https://www.cliniciansbrief.com/article/pocus-veterinary-medicine-uses
https://www.cliniciansbrief.com/article/veterinary-pocus-limitations-ultrasound
Contact:
Where To Find Us:
Website: CliniciansBrief.com/Podcasts
YouTube: Youtube.com/@clinicians_brief
Facebook: Facebook.com/CliniciansBrief
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/showcase/CliniciansBrief/
Instagram: @Clinicians.Brief
The Team:
Alyssa Watson, DVM - Host
Alexis Ussery - Producer & Multimedia Specialist