Solar‐Powered Point‐of‐Care Sonography: Our Himalayan Experience

The benefits of sonography utilization in low‐resource communities has been thoroughly demonstrated in the literature.^1–3 As ultrasound units have become smaller and more portable, the feasibility of bringing these imaging devices into more remote areas is becoming a reality. One factor that limits ultrasound use in austere environments is battery life. Although solar power has been used for oxygen delivery^5,6 in resource‐limited settings, its use in sonography has not been previously described. This report describes the use of a Lumify (Philips; Amsterdam, Netherlands) for a month‐long trip into a remote Himalayan region of India powered exclusively with an Anker (Shenzhen, China) solar panel for the entirety of the trip. According to the Palmetto Health Institutional Review Board, this does not qualify as “research” as defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services and therefore does not meet the requirements for institutional review board review.     

Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound Findings Associated With Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disease characterized by clonal proliferation of Langerhans‐type cells, causing local or systemic effects. One of the most affected sites in children is the skull. We describe 2 cases of children presenting to the pediatric emergency department with symptoms isolated to the scalp and the point‐of‐care focused skull ultrasound findings, which assisted in the diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis in both cases.     

Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound as a Component of Preparticipation Screening of Athletes: A Systematic Review

This review examined whether the addition of point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) to electrocardiography (ECG)‐inclusive preparticipation screening strategies has the potential to reduce false‐positive results and detect diseases associated with sudden cardiac death that may not be identified through current modalities. Five studies, representing 2646 athletes, demonstrated that ECG‐inclusive preparticipation screening strategies resulted in positive results in 19.9% of the cohort. With the addition of POCUS, positive results were reduced to 4.9%, and 1 additional condition potentially associated with sudden cardiac death was identified. The magnitude of positive results with POCUS may be reduced if current ECG criteria were applied.     

Enhanced Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound Applications by Integrating Automated Feature‐Learning Systems Using Deep Learning

Recent applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) in health care include enhanced diagnostic imaging modalities to support clinical decisions and improve patients’ outcomes. Focused on using automated DL‐based systems to improve point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS), we look at DL‐based automation as a key field in expanding and improving POCUS applications in various clinical settings. A promising additional value would be the ability to automate training model selections for teaching POCUS to medical trainees and novice sonologists. The diversity of POCUS applications and ultrasound equipment, each requiring specialized AI models and domain expertise, limits the use of DL as a generic solution. In this article, we highlight the most advanced potential applications of AI in POCUS tailored to high‐yield models in automated image interpretations, with the premise of improving the accuracy and efficacy of POCUS scans.     

Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound in General Surgery Residency Training: A Proposal for Milestones in Graduate Medical Education Ultrasound

The use of point‐of‐care ultrasound (US) in the clinical setting has undergone massive growth, although its incorporation into training and practice is variable. Surgeons are interested in using point‐of‐care US and can incorporate it effectively into clinical practice. However, the current state of point‐of‐care US training in general surgery is inadequate. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education introduced the Milestones Project to evaluate resident and fellow performance. Emergency medicine is the only specialty with a point‐of‐care US milestone. We have successfully implemented a US training program into our general surgery residency curriculum and now propose milestones in point‐of‐care US for all general surgery residents.