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Diagnostics
Special Issues
The Utility of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine
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The Utility of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2025) | Viewed by 3129

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hee Yoon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Emergency Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06355, Republic of Korea
Interests: intensive care unit; cardiac arrest; cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Diagnostics is calling for submissions for its upcoming Special Issue titled “The Utility of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine”. This Special Issue aims to illuminate the essential role of ultrasound in emergency medical care, including its use as a diagnostic tool and in medical education.

We invite submissions that cover the spectrum of ultrasound in emergency medicine. This includes its application in patient care, advancements in ultrasound technology, and, importantly, the integration of ultrasound education into emergency medicine training programs. Articles may address clinical case studies, technological innovations, educational strategies, and the challenges of incorporating ultrasound into emergency medicine curricula.

Our goal is to compile a comprehensive collection that not only highlights ultrasound's diagnostic capabilities but also underscores its value in medical education and training for emergency medicine practitioners. Submissions are encouraged to explore how ultrasound education enhances clinical skills, decision-making, and patient outcomes in emergency scenarios.

This Special Issue is intended to be an informative resource for emergency medicine professionals, educators, and students, reflecting the latest trends and developments in the field.

Dr. Hee Yoon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • emergency medicine
  • imaging
  • ultrasound
  • point-of-care ultrasound
  • medical education

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 642 KiB  
Article
Point-of-Care Ultrasound Within One Hour Associated with ED Flow and Resource Use in Non-Traumatic Abdominal Pain: A Retrospective Observational Study
by Sheng-Yao Hung, Fen-Wei Huang, Wan-Ching Lien, Te-Fa Chiu, Tse-Chyuan Wong, Wei-Jun Lin and Shih-Hao Wu
Diagnostics 2025, 15(13), 1580; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15131580 (registering DOI) - 21 Jun 2025
Abstract
Background: Although the value of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) is well-established for specific diseases and in the hands of trained users, its broader impact on overall ED efficiency is not yet fully known. This study aims to evaluate the association of early PoCUS, [...] Read more.
Background: Although the value of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) is well-established for specific diseases and in the hands of trained users, its broader impact on overall ED efficiency is not yet fully known. This study aims to evaluate the association of early PoCUS, performed within 1 h of presentation, with ED patient flow, healthcare resource utilization, and quality of care in adults with non-traumatic abdominal pain. Method: This retrospective cohort study included 44,863 adult patients (≥18 years) presenting with non-traumatic abdominal pain from January 2021 to December 2023. Patients were grouped into PoCUS and no-PoCUS categories, with a subgroup analysis for those receiving PoCUS within 1 h, to evaluate ED LOS, and costs for different ED dispositions. Outcomes measured included hospital LOS, costs, mortality, and ICU admission. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 44.4 ± 17.9 years, and 61.2% were female. PoCUS was performed in 39.7% of cases, with 69.6% of these conducted within one hour. Additionally, 30.5% underwent CT. The PoCUS group had a significantly shorter ED LOS compared to the no-PoCUS group among patients admitted to general wards (p < 0.001), but not in outpatient dispositions (p = 0.282) or ICU admissions (p = 0.081). Subgroup analysis of patients receiving PoCUS within 1 h showed a significantly shorter LOS for both outpatient dispositions (p < 0.001) and general ward admissions (p < 0.001), with no effect on ICU admissions (p = 0.869). The presence or absence of CT did not alter these findings. Multivariable analysis indicated that patients who received PoCUS within one hour alone at index visit and admitted after an unscheduled return visit had lower initial ED costs (−9436.1 TWD, p < 0.001) and shorter ED LOS (−11.59 min, p < 0.001) than patients admitted directly at the index visit, with no significant increase in total resource utilization or adverse outcomes after return visits. Conclusions: PoCUS, especially when performed within one hour, was associated with reduced ED LOS and healthcare resource utilization for both outpatient dispositions and inpatient admissions without compromising patient safety or quality of care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Utility of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine)
16 pages, 1980 KiB  
Article
Paramedics Performed Sonographic Identification of the Conic Ligament—A Prospective Controlled Trial
by Johannes Weimer, Christopher David Chrissostomou, Christopher Jonck, Andreas Michael Weimer, Carlotta Ille, Lukas Müller, Liv Annebritt Lorenz, Marie Stäuber, Thomas Vieth, Holger Buggenhagen, Julia Weinmann-Menke, Maximilian Rink and Julian Künzel
Diagnostics 2025, 15(10), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15101296 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Acute obstructions of the upper respiratory tract are emergencies that may require a cricothyrotomy as ultima ratio. For this, precise identification of the conic ligament is essential. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) offers a reliable tool for anatomical localization in challenging cases and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Acute obstructions of the upper respiratory tract are emergencies that may require a cricothyrotomy as ultima ratio. For this, precise identification of the conic ligament is essential. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) offers a reliable tool for anatomical localization in challenging cases and could be used by a range of emergency medicine workers. This prospective, controlled observational study assesses the development of competencies of paramedics (PMs) in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) assisted identification of the conic ligament after structured training, and compares their competence level to emergency physicians (EPs). Methods: PMs and a control group of EPs received an identical structured training program as part of an ultrasound course. It included a 10-min theoretical introduction, a 10-min video, and a 45-min practical session with ultrasound devices. Questionnaires and a practical test assessed both group’s previous experiences, satisfaction with training, and the development of subjective and objective competencies before (T1) and after (T2) the training. Results: A total of 120 participants (N = 92 PMs and N = 28 EPs) participated. A minority had previously performed a cricothyrotomy even in training settings (PMs 17%; EPs 11%), and none had identified the conic ligament using POCUS. The study group’s subjective and objective competencies increased significantly (p < 0.001). At T2, the study group demonstrated comparable subjective (p = 0.22) and objective (p = 0.81) competencies to those of the control group. The study group needed significantly (p < 0.01) less time to perform the DOPS. While both groups were satisfied with the study material (PMs 2.2 ± 1.2 vs. Eps 1.6 ± 1.0; p = 0.02) and the training (PMs 1.8 ± 1.0 vs. EPs 1.4 ± 0.7, p = 0.03), the study group rated both significantly better. Conclusions: After structured training, paramedics successfully identified the conic ligament using POCUS comparably to emergency physicians. Integrating POCUS into paramedic training may improve prehospital airway management and enhance patient safety. Further studies should investigate long-term skill retention and real-life application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Utility of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine)
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11 pages, 2512 KiB  
Article
Real-Time Tracheal Ultrasound vs. Capnography for Intubation Confirmation during CPR Wearing a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator in COVID-19 Era
by Seungwan Eun, Hee Yoon, Soo Yeon Kang, Ik Joon Jo, Sejin Heo, Hansol Chang, Guntak Lee, Jong Eun Park, Taerim Kim, Se Uk Lee, Sung Yeon Hwang and Sun-Young Baek
Diagnostics 2024, 14(2), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14020225 - 21 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2300
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the accuracy of real-time trans-tracheal ultrasound (TTUS) with capnography to confirm intubation in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while wearing a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR). This setting reflects increased caution due to contagious diseases. This single-center, prospective, comparative study enrolled [...] Read more.
This study aimed to compare the accuracy of real-time trans-tracheal ultrasound (TTUS) with capnography to confirm intubation in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while wearing a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR). This setting reflects increased caution due to contagious diseases. This single-center, prospective, comparative study enrolled patients requiring CPR while wearing a PAPR who visited the emergency department of a tertiary medical center from December 2020 to August 2022. A physician performed the TTUS in real time and recorded the tube placement assessment. Another healthcare provider attached waveform capnography to the tube and recorded end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) after five ventilations. The accuracy and agreement of both methods compared with direct laryngoscopic visualization of tube placement, and the time taken by both methods was evaluated. Thirty-three patients with cardiac arrest were analyzed. TTUS confirmed tube placement with 100% accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, whereas capnography demonstrated 97% accuracy, 96.8% sensitivity, and 100% specificity. The Kappa values for TTUS and capnography compared to direct visualization were 1.0 and 0.7843, respectively. EtCO2 was measured in 45 (37–59) seconds (median (interquartile range)), whereas TTUS required only 12 (8–23) seconds, indicating that TTUS was significantly faster (p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between the physician’s TTUS proficiency and image acquisition time. This study demonstrated that TTUS is more accurate and faster than EtCO2 measurement for confirming endotracheal tube placement during CPR, particularly in the context of PAPR usage in pandemic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Utility of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine)
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