Medical Management

Findings from a focused cardiac ultrasound scan should always be interpreted in the context of the patients history & physical examination. Further investigations with other imaging modalities may be required to refine the diagnosis.

Often, a point of care ultrasound scan of other organs may be required. Examples include the patient with dyspnoea, where a lung ultrasound scan should be performed and patients with shock, where the aorta and abdomen should be evaluated for free fluid.

Reporting Your Scan

All POCUS scans must be reported. The following is a suggested list of important fields.

1. Date and time of study

2. Name and hospital ID number of patient

3. Patient age (date of birth) and gender

4. Indication for study

5. Name of the person who performed the study

6. Findings

7. Limitations and recommendations for additional studies

8. Impression

9. Name of the person who interpreted the study

10. Date and time the report was signed

11. Mode of archiving the data

12. Remeber to keep a log book of your cases