Utility of point-of-care ultrasound in patients with suspected diverticulitis in the emergency department |
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| Authors: | Hamid Shokoohi MD MPH RDMS RDCS Sigrid Nasser MD Matthew Pyle MD James P Earls MD FSCCT Andrew Liteplo MD Keith Boniface MD RDMS |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School-Boston, Massachusetts, USA;2. Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA;3. Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA;4. Department of Radiology, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA |
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| Abstract: | In emergency department (ED) cases with clinically suspected diverticulitis, diagnostic imaging is often needed for diagnostic confirmation, to exclude complications, and to direct patient management. Patients typically undergo a CT scan in the ED; however, in a subset of cases with suspected diverticulitis, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) may provide sufficient data to confirm the diagnosis and ascertain a safe plan for outpatient management.We review the main sonographic features of diverticulitis and discuss the diagnostic accuracy and potential benefits of a POCUS First model. |
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| Keywords: | bowel diverticulitis emergency department gastrointestinal system point-of-care ultrasound |
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