4 ms·

I will make the (likely unpopular) comment that point of care ultrasound (POCUS) doesn't have a large impact for Covid-19, because Covid-19 is primarily diagnos

I will make the (likely unpopular) comment that point of care ultrasound (POCUS) doesn't have a large impact for Covid-19, because Covid-19 is primarily diagnosed via PCR of a nasopharyngeal swab, and pneumonia is primarily a clinical diagnosis confirmed by a chest X-ray. There are already portable chest X-ray machines in the ICU. However, if a patient develops fluid around their lung (pleural effusion), lung POCUS can be used to guide a needle into the fluid pocket and drain it (thoracentesis). This can help patients breathe better and is truly useful. Modern ICU's already have fancy portable ultrasound machines available, so the main difference in the handheld ultrasound versions is the lower price and inferior image quality.

cardiffspaceman 6y ago
My grandfather went through the 1918 epidemic and they put a hole in his back to treat his lung symptoms. It was experimental. He lived roughly 70 years past that.
sjg007 6y ago
The handheld version is easier to clean basically and apparently reliable enough for diagnosis. Did you read the article?
- unsrsly 6y ago
  From firsthand experience, I can tell you the handheld versions make it more challenging to obtain a diagnostic quality image. Also, many of them are intended to be plugged into a personal device (like an iPhone) which I would not want to bring into a Covid patient's room. But in the right hands, they are a decent alternative to a more sophisticated ultrasound machine. They are not a "potent weapon" compared with other more expensive tech that already exists. They are just a cheaper substitute, which is a great but incremental innovation.
Engineering-MD 6y ago
Completely agree on some points. However the promise of POCUS is to make it common and ubiquitous. A cheap portable one changes it from being a tested ordered, and awaited, to a tool anyone with some training can use. Sure, it will lead to more wrong interpretation, but it also has potential.

cardiffspaceman 6y ago

My grandfather went through the 1918 epidemic and they put a hole in his back to treat his lung symptoms. It was experimental. He lived roughly 70 years past that.

sjg007 6y ago

The handheld version is easier to clean basically and apparently reliable enough for diagnosis. Did you read the article?

unsrsly 6y ago
From firsthand experience, I can tell you the handheld versions make it more challenging to obtain a diagnostic quality image. Also, many of them are intended to be plugged into a personal device (like an iPhone) which I would not want to bring into a Covid patient's room. But in the right hands, they are a decent alternative to a more sophisticated ultrasound machine. They are not a "potent weapon" compared with other more expensive tech that already exists. They are just a cheaper substitute, which is a great but incremental innovation.

Engineering-MD 6y ago

Completely agree on some points. However the promise of POCUS is to make it common and ubiquitous. A cheap portable one changes it from being a tested ordered, and awaited, to a tool anyone with some training can use. Sure, it will lead to more wrong interpretation, but it also has potential.