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- Title
Role of emergency physician–performed ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain.
- Authors
Kozaci, Nalan; Avci, Mustafa; Tulubas, Gul; Ararat, Ertan; Karakoyun, Omer Faruk; Karaman, Cagri; Erol, Bekir
- Abstract
Objectives: This prospective study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of bedside point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography performed by emergency physician in patients with non-traumatic acute abdominal pain. Methods: The patients, who were admitted to emergency department due to abdominal pain, were included in this study. The emergency physician obtained a routine history, physical examination, blood draws, and ordered diagnostic imaging. After the initial clinical examinations, all the patients underwent ultrasonography for abdominal pathologies by emergency physician and radiologist, respectively. Point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography compared with abdominal ultrasonography performed by radiologist as the gold standard. Results: The study included 122 patients. Gallbladder and appendix pathologies were the most commonly detected in the abdominal ultrasonography. Compared with abdominal ultrasonography, point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography was found to have 89% sensitivity and 94% specificity in gallbladder pathologies; 91% sensitivity and 91% specificity in acute appendicitis; 79% sensitivity and 97% specificity in abdominal free fluid; 83% sensitivity and 96% specificity in ovarian pathologies. Compared to final diagnosis, preliminary diagnoses of emergency physicians were correct in 92 (75.4%) patients. Conclusion: This study showed that emergency physicians were successful in identifying abdominal organ pathologies with point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography after training.
- Subjects
DIAGNOSTIC ultrasonic imaging personnel; ABDOMINAL pain; EMERGENCY physicians; DIFFERENTIAL diagnosis; APPENDICITIS; ULTRASONIC imaging; DIAGNOSTIC imaging; HOSPITAL emergency services
- Publication
Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2020, Vol 27, Issue 2, p79
- ISSN
1024-9079
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/1024907918808115