Vascular Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Abstract

The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the vasculature has expanded beyond procedural guidance and is utilized by multiple specialties in varied clinical settings. Evidence supports the use of POCUS for diagnosing deep venous thrombosis in the lower extremities, while for thrombosis in the upper extremities or abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, the evidence is still nascent. Here, we review POCUS of the extremity veins and abdominal aorta with a summary of the pertinent literature, review of the relevant anatomy, description of the appropriate acquisition technique, introduction to associated pathology, and discussion of pitfalls one could encounter.

Keywords: Abdominal aortic aneurysm; Deep venous thrombosis; Point-of-care ultrasound.