Exploring new horizons with POCUS

Over the past two decades, the utility of diagnostic ultrasound has gradually expanded beyond the conventional Radiology and Cardiology segment to a wide range of other emerging care areas like Anaesthesia, Critical care, E-Med, Surgery, Pediatrics, Pain Management, Nephrology and alike which constitutes the point of care segment. This trend was initially prevalent in developed countries like USA and now it has been widely spread among the fast developing nations including the sub-continent region, where the different premier medical institutions and multi-specialty hospitals are adopting the point of care Ultrasound (POCUS) in their routine patient care practice.

The latest genre of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices are significantly gaining acceptance amid a diverse range of physicians i.e., from intensivists to internists and among the private medical practitioners. The use of compact ultrasound is expanding day by day as it is a cost effective and radiation-free alternative to other imaging modalities, such as CT or Fluoroscopy. Nowadays the ultrasound manufacturers are emphasizing on devising compact machines with sealed, sanitizable consoles to avoid cross contamination so that it can add value to indoors hospital departments like OT/OR, ICU or IPD setup especially from infection control and patient’s safety perspective.

In acute care settings, POCUS is extensively deployed for procedural guidance, focused cardiac evaluation and it has established itself as a vital tool for examining lung to diagnose several pathological conditions. Another popular application area is the musculoskeletal ultrasound performed by orthopedicians, rheumatologists and physical medicine rehabilitation (PMR) physicians. In nephrology departments, POCUS is fast becoming a key instrumental technique in supporting diagnostics and improving delivery of renal replacement therapy and subsequent vascular monitoring. It helps nephrologists to evaluate and effectively access the vasculature of dialysis patients and also assist in real-time guidance of needle insertion during biopsies to offer increased accuracy and fewer complications.

The POCUS does not limit its existence only in hospital environments but today it is extensively used in sports medicine, veterinary care and for military expeditions as well. The reason behind the wide adoption of POCUS is that it can be performed quickly, helps physicians to make a fast diagnosis, reduces medical costs associated with malpractices and assists in better patient outcomes.

The latest trend includes the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in ultrasound devices which can assist physicians in acquiring the right kind of diagnostic information. Novice users can take advantage of AI features to help them recognize life-threatening conditions, assist with probe alignment, and obtain the next steps in patient management. It is believed that AI technology in ultrasound devices will help in optimizing the physicians’ workflow while delivering high diagnostic value and will signify the dawn of new technological era in the medical industry.

About Fujifilm SonoSite

FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc., is the innovator and world leader in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound, and an industry leader in Ultra high-frequency micro-ultrasound technology. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by a global distribution network in over 100 countries. SonoSite’s compact systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high-performance ultrasound to the point of patient care.
For more information, go to: www.sonosite.com/in

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(Brand Connect Initiative)