Anesthesiologists are increasingly using ultrasound for anatomical evaluation prior to needle insertion.
With the miniaturization of technology, improved ease of use, lower system cost, increased portability, and greater access to training, the appeal of ultrasound continues to expand in point-of-care (POC) markets. POCUS refers to a diagnostic exam or interventional procedure performed under ultrasound guidance during a patient exam. There are four main clinical applications for POCUS: • Musculoskeletal;
• Cardiac/critical care;
• Emergency medicine (hospital-based and urgent care); and
• Anaesthesia and pain management.
In most diagnostic applications, an ultrasound exam is performed in less than 20 minutes. Although sensitivity and specificity vary by anatomic area, across all type of exams ultrasound has a sensitivity between 91 and 98 % and a specificity between 83 and 95 %.
