Objective Our primary objective was to determine if there was a difference in success of cardiac visualization by focused transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) location (subxiphoid, parasternal, or apical) during chest compression interruptions among cardiac arrest patients. Secondarily, we sought to determine whether there were differences in chest compression interruption times with the focused TTE locations. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of video-recorded, adult, cardiac arrest resuscitations in a quaternary care Emergency Department from 11/2018 to 11/2023. Focused TTE was successful if 1) cardiac visualization was seen on video review, or 2) cardiac visualization was discussed in the recording. A chi-squared test was used to assess differences in success and ANOVA was used to assess differences in interruption times based on TTE locations. Repeated measures multivariable regression models were constructed to control for clinically relevant variables for the primary and secondary objectives. Results 136 patients and 365 focused TTE attempts were included in the study (241 subxiphoid, 101 parasternal, and 23 apical). There was no difference in the success rate: subxiphoid 83.4%, parasternal 88.1%, and apical 95.7% (p = 0.190) or in multivariable regression analysis (p = 0.189). There was no difference in the mean chest compression interruption time for each site: subxiphoid 15 sec. (IQR 12–23 sec.), parasternal 17 sec. (IQR 11–22 sec.), and apical 19 sec. (IQR 15–25 sec., p = 0.446) or in multivariable logistic regression analysis (p = 0.803). Sonographers with ≥ 50 quality assured focused TTEs had higher success than those without (94.4% vs. 75.1%; p < 0.001). Conclusions In cardiac arrest, the parasternal and apical TTE locations had similar success of cardiac visualization and similar compression interruption times to the more commonly used subxiphoid location.

Ischemic colitis is the most common form of gastrointestinal ischemia . The diagnosis of ischemic colitis is made by clinical data and computed tomography (CT) imaging of the abdomen and pelvis . While colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for diagnosis, this is not performed in the emergency department (ED) . Few studies have been performed to describe the sonographic findings of ischemic colitis using point of care ultrasound (POCUS). We report a case that highlights the sonographic findings of ischemic colitis in a patient who had two separate visits to the ED, showcasing the utility of POCUS in making this diagnosis. POCUS can be used as a diagnostic tool for early detection of ischemic colitis leading to prompt treatment with antibiotics, CT imaging, and surgical consultation.

Study objectiveWe propose a novel method of evaluating right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in the emergency department (ED) using RV “bubble time”—the duration of time bubbles from a saline solution flush are visualized in the RV on echocardiography. The objective was to identify the optimal cutoff value for RV bubble time that differentiates patients with RV dysfunction and report on its diagnostic test characteristics.MethodsThis prospective diagnostic accuracy study enrolled a convenience sample of hemodynamically stable patients in the ED. A sonographer administered a 10-mL saline solution flush into the patient’s intravenous catheter, performed a bedside echocardiogram, and measured RV bubble time. Subsequently, the patient underwent a comprehensive cardiologist-interpreted echocardiogram within 36 hours, which served as the gold standard. Patients with RV strain or enlargement of the latter found on an echocardiogram were considered to have RV dysfunction. Bubble time was evaluated by a second provider, blinded to the initial results, who reviewed the ultrasound clips. The primary outcome measure was the optimal cutoff value of RV bubble time that identifies patients with and without RV dysfunction.ResultsOf 196 patients, median age was 67 year, and half were women, with 69 (35.2%) having RV dysfunction. Median RV bubble time among patients with RV dysfunction was 62 seconds (interquartile range [IQR]: 52, 93) compared with 21 seconds (IQR: 12, 32) among patients without (P<.0001). The optimal cutoff value of RV bubble time for identifying patients with RV dysfunction was 40 or more seconds, with a sensitivity of 0.97 (95% CI 0.93 to 1.00) and specificity of 0.87 (95% CI 0.82 to 0.93).ConclusionIn patients in the ED, an RV bubble time of 40 or more seconds had high sensitivity in identifying patients with RV dysfunction, whereas an RV bubble time of less than 40 seconds had good specificity in identifying patients without RV dysfunction. These findings warrant further investigation in undifferentiated patient populations and by emergency physicians without advanced ultrasound training.

Introduction:Diagnosing deep venous thromboses and venous thromboemboli (DVT/VTE) in pregnant patients presents a unique challenge for emergency physicians. The risk of DVT/VTE increases during pregnancy, and the potential consequences of misdiagnoses are severe. Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is frequently a first-line diagnostic imaging modality. However, recent studies have shown a high incidence of thromboses proximal to the common femoral vein during pregnancy, and these would not be visualized using compressive ultrasonography, which traditionally can only visualize thromboses distal to the femoral vein. Case Report:A 38-year-old female, 25-weeks primiparous, presented to the emergency department with a three-day history of left lower extremity swelling. Point-of-care three-point compression testing was used to evaluate for a DVT; however, no thrombus was visualized. Given high clinical suspicion, color and spectral Doppler testing were performed and demonstrated turbulent flow and reduced respiratory variation in the common femoral vein. This prompted further additional testing for a proximal DVT using magnetic resonance venography, which revealed an occlusive left external iliac thrombus. The patient was subsequently started on daily subcutaneous enoxaparin and discharged home with close follow-up. Conclusion:Emergency physicians play a critical role in evaluations for the presence of DVT/VTE, particularly in pregnant patients. We endorse the use of POCUS with three-point compression testing, as well as color and spectral Doppler imaging, to help identify proximal DVTs in this patient population. This case report can aid physicians in the diagnosis of this pathological condition that if left untreated can have severe consequences.

OBJECTIVES:Heart failure exacerbations are a common cause of hospitalizations with a high readmission rate. There are few validated predictors of readmission after treatment for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Lung ultrasound (LUS) is sensitive and specific in the assessment of pulmonary congestion; however, it is not frequently utilized to assess for congestion before discharge. This study assessed the association between number of B-lines, on LUS, at patient discharge and risk of 30-day readmission in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).METHODS:This was a single-center prospective study of adults admitted to a quaternary care center with a diagnosis of ADHF. At the time of discharge, the patient received an 8-zone LUS exam to evaluate for the presence of B-lines. A zone was considered positive if ≥3 B-lines was present. We assessed the risk of 30-day readmission associated with the number of lung zones positive for B-lines using a log-binomial regression model.RESULTS:Based on data from 200 patients, the risk of 30-day readmission in patients with 2-3 positive lung zones was 1.25 times higher (95% CI: 1.08-1.45), and in patients with 4-8 positive lung zones was 1.50 times higher (95% CI: 1.23-1.82, compared with patients with 0-1 positive zones, after adjusting for discharge blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and hemoglobin.CONCLUSION:Among patients admitted with ADHF, the presence of B-lines at discharge was associated with a significantly increased risk of 30-day readmission, with greater number of lung zones positive for B-lines corresponding to higher risk.

Objective: We evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios of hip effusion and/or iliopsoas hematoma on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by ultrasound fellows and fellowship trained emergency providers to identify hip fractures in emergency department (ED) patients with a high suspi-cion of hip fracture.Methods: This was a prospective observational study of a convenience sample of patients with high suspicion of hip fracture at two academic EDs between 2018 and 2021. Patients with negative x-rays who did not receive fur-ther imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) were excluded. Sonogra-phers were blinded to clinical data and ED imaging results. At the primary site, 8 ultrasound fellows and 4 emergency ultrasound fellowship-trained emergency providers performed the ultrasonographic examinations. At the secondary site, 2 ultrasound fellows, 4 emergency ultrasound-fellowship trained physicians, and 1 sports medicine fellowship-trained emergency provider performed the ultrasonographic examinations. A positive ul-trasound was defined as either the presence of a hip effusion or iliopsoas hematoma on the affected extremity. The primary outcome measures were sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ratio (LR+), and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of POCUS findings for identifica-tion of a hip fracture compared with a ranked composite reference standard consisting of x-ray, CT, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the highest-level test performed for each patient was used for comparison.Results: Among 213 patients analyzed, all 213 received an x-ray, 116 received a CT scan, and 14 received an MRI; 113/213 x-rays (53.1%), 35/116 CT scans (30.2%), and 7/14 MRIs (50.0%) were positive for a hip fracture. A total of 123 patients were diagnosed with a hip fracture (57.7%). There were 13 false negative x-ray results. Overall, com-pared with the reference standard of x-ray, CT, or MRI, POCUS had a sensitivity of 97% (95% CI: 94%, 100%), spec-ificity of 70% (95% CI: 61%, 79%), PPV of 82% (95% CI: 75%, 88%), and NPV of 94% (95% CI: 88%, 100%) in the identification of hip fractures; with a positive likelihood ratio of 3.22 (95% CI: 2.35, 4.43) and negative likelihood ratio of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.12).Conclusion: In a convenience sample of ED patients with high clinical suspicion for hip fracture, the presence of a hip effusion and/or iliopsoas hematoma on POCUS performed by expert emergency ultrasonographers showed high sensitivity in diagnosing patients with a hip fracture.(c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Objectives- Heart failure exacerbations are a common cause of hospitalizations with a high readmission rate. There are few validated predictors of readmission after treatment for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Lung ultrasound (LUS) is sensitive and specific in the assessment of pulmonary congestion; however, it is not frequently utilized to assess for congestion before discharge. This study assessed the association between number of B-lines, on LUS, at patient discharge and risk of 30-day readmission in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods_This was a single-center prospective study of adults admitted to a quaternary care center with a diagnosis of ADHF. At the time of discharge, the patient received an 8-zone LUS exam to evaluate for the presence of B-lines. A zone was considered positive if >= 3 B-lines was present. We assessed the risk of 30-day readmission associated with the number of lung zones positive for B-lines using a log-binomial regression model. Results- Based on data from 200 patients, the risk of 30-day readmission in patients with 2-3 positive lung zones was 1.25 times higher (95% CI: 1.08-1.45), and in patients with 4-8 positive lung zones was 1.50 times higher (95% CI: 1.23-1.82, compared with patients with 0-1 positive zones, after adjusting for discharge blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and hemoglobin. Conclusion- Among patients admitted with ADHF, the presence of B-lines at discharge was associated with a significantly increased risk of 30-day readmission, with greater number of lung zones positive for B-lines corresponding to higher risk.

Introduction: As the prevalence of patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) presenting to the emergency department (ED) increases, clinicians must be aware of LVAD-associated infections. Case Report: A well-appearing, 41-year-old male with history of heart failure status post prior-LVAD placement presented to the ED for swelling of his chest. What appeared initially as a superficial infection was further assessed with point-of-care ultrasound and found to represent a chest wall abscess involving the driveline, ultimately resulting in sternal osteomyelitis and bacteremia. Conclusion: Point-of-care ultrasound should be considered an important tool in the initial assessment of potential LVAD-associated infection.

Objectives:Emergency ultrasound (EUS) is a critical component of emergency medicine (EM) resident education. Currently, there is no consensus list of competencies for EUS training, and graduating residents have varying levels of skill and comfort. The objective of this study was to define a widely accepted comprehensive list of EUS competencies for graduating EM residents through a modified Delphi method. Methods:We developed a list of EUS applications through a comprehensive literature search, the American College of Emergency Physicians list of core EUS benchmarks, and the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency-Academy of Emergency Ultrasound consensus document. We assembled a multi-institutional expert panel including 15 faculty members from diverse practice environments and geographical regions. The panel voted on the list of competencies through two rounds of a modified Delphi process using a modified Likert scale (1 = not at all important, 5 = very important) to determine levels of agreement for each application-with revisions occurring between the two rounds. High agreement for consensus was set at >80%. Results:Fifteen of 15 panelists completed the first-round survey (100%) that included 359 topics related to EUS. After the first round, 195 applications achieved high agreement, four applications achieved medium agreement, and 164 applications achieved low agreement. After the discussion, we removed three questions and added 13 questions. Fifteen of 15 panelists completed the second round of the survey (100%) with 209 of the 369 applications achieving consensus. Conclusion:Our final list represents expert opinion on EUS competencies for graduating EM residents. We hope to use this consensus list to implement a more consistent EUS curriculum for graduating EM residents and to standardize EUS training across EM residency programs.

Background: Chest injury can result in life-threatening complications like tension pneumothorax, in which rapid deterioration can occur without decompression. Traditionally, the second intercostal space (ICS) along the mid-clavicular line is taught as the site for decompression. However, this has been questioned due to high rates of treatment failure. The fifth ICS on the mid-axillary line (MAL) is hypothesized to have a shorter distance from skin to pleura based on recent studies. Objective: The purpose of this study was to use point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to compare chest wall thickness at these two locations. The primary objective was to evaluate the distance from skin to pleura line at the second ICS along the mid-clavicular line and the fifth ICS along the MAL. Secondarily, we aimed to evaluate inter-rater reliability of the two assessments. Methods: This was a single-center, observational, pilot study. POCUS was performed using a linear transducer. Measurements of skin to pleura line were obtained at the right second ICS and fifth ICS. These measurements were then repeated by a blinded second ultrasonographer. Intraclass correlations (ICCs) for each measurement site were calculated to determine the inter-rater reliability. Results: Ninety-three percent of volunteers had a smaller chest wall distance at the fifth ICS-MAL. The median distance at the second and fifth ICS was 2.28 cm and 1.80 cm. The ICC for second ICS was 0.75 (95% CI 0.54-0.87), and 0.90 for the fifth ICS (95% CI 0.81-0.95), both indicating good reliability. Conclusions: The data support that patients have a smaller chest wall distance at the fifth ICS vs. the second ICS. We support performing needle decompression at the fifth ICS and believe POCUS can be used to determine the optimal location for decompression. (c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Introduction: Uterine rupture is a rare but potentially fatal complication of pregnancy. The incidence of uterine rupture is estimated to be between 0.3 and 11 per 10,000. Additionally, uterine sacculation is a sac or outpouching of the uterus that can lead to uterine rupture in pregnancy. Here we describe a case of a patient who was found to have a uterine sacculation on point-of-care ultrasound in the emergency department (ED) that was complicated by uterine rupture. Case Report: A 32-year-old female at approximately 18 weeks gestation presented to the ED with three days of abdominal discomfort. The patient’s medical history was significant for prior uterine fibroids requiring recent myomectomy. On arrival the patient was tachycardic, and her abdominal exam revealed distention with mild tenderness to palpation in all quadrants. A point-of-care transabdominal obstetric ultrasound was performed to evaluate the fetal heart rate, which was 157 beats per minute; it also revealed a defect in the uterine wall compatible with a uterine sacculation. The patient underwent magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a sac-like structure in the fundal portion of the uterus containing a portion of gestational sac and pregnancy contents. Subsequently, she became hypotensive and tachycardic and was taken emergently to the operating room for concern for uterine rupture. Intraoperatively, uterine rupture was confirmed. The patient underwent surgical repair with evacuation of fetal tissue and recovered in the surgical intensive care unit. Conclusion: Point-of-care ultrasound is a useful and readily available procedure to identify uterine sacculation. Early identification can help escalate the urgency of the patient complaint and may lead to a need for further maternal-fetal evaluation. Emergency physicians should keep a high index of suspicion when evaluating the pregnant patient with a history of uterine surgery.

Introduction: Ruptured ectopic pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal death. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been shown to be highly sensitive for excluding ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy after a hysterectomy is a rare but life-threatening occurrence. We present a case where POCUS helped to diagnose a post-hysterectomy ectopic pregnancy. Case report: A 36-year-old female with a prior surgical history of hysterectomy without oophorectomy presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal pain. A POCUS revealed free fluid in the right upper quadrant with an unremarkable gallbladder. Subsequently, the pelvic POCUS noted free fluid as well as a heterogeneous structure in the right adnexa. The clinician ordered a serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin level, which was 173.2 international units per milliliter (lU/mL) (negative: < 5m IU/ml). Transvaginal ultrasound revealed a right adnexal echogenic structure with surrounding vascularity and moderate, complex free fluid suggestive of hemorrhage. Given the concern for possible ectopic pregnancy, obstetrics took the patient to the operating room where a right tubal ectopic pregnancy was confirmed. Conclusion: A ruptured ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition that requires rapid diagnosis. Ectopic pregnancy post hysterectomy is an uncommon occurrence infrequently considered in the differential diagnosis of lower abdominal pain, leading to considerable delays in diagnosis. Although uncommon, emergency clinicians must consider this diagnosis in female patients with lower abdominal pain.

Background: Ultrasonography is an effective diagnostic tool for acute urinary retention despite the presence of a Foley catheter to ensure proper Foley location and function. However, there are several previously reported cases of misleading positioning of a Foley catheter balloon [1,3,5]. We report, to our knowledge, the first published case of the presence of a Foley catheter balloon inside a bladder diverticulum that seemingly appears as a bladder perforation on point-of-care ultrasound. Case Report: An 82-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with an indwelling Foley catheter replaced 5 days ago by his urologist in the outpatient setting. The patient presented with reduced urine output from his Foley with blood clots in the collection bag. A point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) revealed no evidence of hydronephrosis but there was evidence of a distended bladder with the Foley balloon appearing to be outside of the bladder wall with concern for bladder perforation. On computed tomography scan, the presence of two bladder diverticula were identified at the right anterior wall of the bladder. The Foley catheter tip and balloon were found to be insufflated inside one diverticulum without any evidence of perforation and was successfully manipulated to a proper intraluminal position. Emergency physicians should investigate the presence of Foley catheter positioning in evaluating urinary retention using point-of-care ultrasound. Often these presenting patients have chronic indwelling Foley catheters that are obstructed or incorrectly placed. However, this case demonstrates the potential misinterpretation of a bladder perforation by the presence of a bladder diverticulum and hopefully helps guide other providers in a nuanced approach to further workup and troubleshooting if confronted with similar findings.

Introduction: Manual pulse detection is inaccurate in cardiac arrest(CA) and Doppler ultrasound may detect blood flow without an adequate perfusion blood pressure (pseudo-pulseless electrical activity). The purpose of this study is to assess whether maximum femoral arterial velocity during a pulse check is correlated with arterial line systolic blood pressure (SBP) and whether it can be used to accurately identify a SBP of ≥60mmHG. Methods: This is a prospective study of CA patients at a quaternary care Emergency Department. During a pulse check, a linear ultrasound was placed at the common femoral artery and the presence or absence of an arterial Doppler waveform, the associated maximum velocity value, and arterial line SBP were recorded simultaneously. The correlation between SBP and maximum waveform velocity was assessed. Arterial SBPs were dichotomized as <60mmHG or ≥60mmHg, as this was deemed as an adequate perfusion pressure, and a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine optimal cutoff value of maximum velocity associated with SBP ≥60mmHG. Sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), and accuracy (Acc) of manual palpation and femoral artery pulse wave doppler for detection of SBP ≥60mmHg were calculated. Results: A total of 51 patients and 183 pulse checks were analyzed. There was a strong correlation between arterial line SBP and maximum waveform velocity (Spearman correlation coefficient: 0.92; p<0.001). The optimal cutoff value of waveform velocity associated with a SBP ≥60mmHG was 20 cm/second (Sn: 0.89; specificity: 0.94; area under the curve: 0.98) with an Acc of 0.92. To detect SBP ≥60mmHg, manual palpation had a Sn of 0.45, Sp of 0.82, and Acc of 0.67 McNemar's test showed that Sn (p<0.001), Sp (p=0.009), and Acc (p<0.001) was significantly higher for doppler ultrasound >=20cm/sec compared with manual palpation. Conclusion: In this study, during a pulse check, patients with a femoral arterial doppler waveform with a maximum velocity greater than 20cm/sec had a high probability of having a SBP ≥60mmHg, and improved Sn, Sp and Acc over manual palpation. The results demonstrate femoral arterial doppler maximum velocity is an accurate and objective tool to determine the presence of a pulse with adequate perfusion pressures.

INTRODUCTION:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may predispose patients to increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) due to various pathophysiological mechanisms, including but not limited to endothelial injury, inflammation, cytokine-mediated microvascular damage, and reactive thrombocytosis. A high risk of vessel thrombosis correlates with disease severity, making early identification and treatment of prime consideration.Although identification of a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism warrants immediate treatment with anticoagulation, trying to predict which COVID-19 patients may be at increased risk for developing these pathologies is challenging.CASE REPORTS:We present two cases of patients with COVID-19 who had ultrasonographic findings of turbulent blood flow within the deep venous system, without clear evidence of acute proximal DVT, who were subsequently found to have significant VTE.CONCLUSION:Point-of-care lower extremity ultrasound has become one of the core applications used by emergency physicians. Typically we perform compression ultrasound for DVT evaluation. This novel finding of turbulent blood flow, or "smoke," within the deep venous system, may serve as a marker of increased risk of clot development and could be an indication to consider early anticoagulation.

Background: Diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP) is an invasive procedure routinely performed within the emergency department (ED). LP is traditionally performed with the patient in either the lateral recumbent or sitting position. We investigated if the intervertebral space is larger in one of these positions. If one position is larger than the other, this would imply that one position offers a higher chance of a successful lumbar puncture than the other position. Objective: We sought to determine if there is a significant size difference of the L4/L5 intervertebral space in the lateral recumbent compared with the sitting position. Methods: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) was performed to measure the size of each volunteer's L4/L5 intervertebral space in both the seated and lateral recumbent positions. All volunteers > 18 years of age were eligible for the study. Thirty volunteers had measurements taken. Three measurements were taken by each investigator in both positions for each volunteer. Results: The median L4/L5 intervertebral space distance was 1.7511 cm in the lateral recumbent position and 1.9511 cm in the seated position with a Wilcoxon signed rank p value < .0001. The interspinous space in the seated position was found to be significantly larger than in the lateral recumbent position. Conclusion: The size of the interspinous space in the seated position on ultrasound was found to be larger than the lateral recumbent position, suggesting that LP may be more successful in the seated position. (C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Introduction: During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the presence or absence of a pulse is critical in guiding the management of cardiac arrest (CA) patients. Despite the importance placed on palpating a pulse, several reports have shown that providers lack accuracy in determining it the presence via manual palpation. The purpose of this study is to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of manual femoral pulse detection as compared to Doppler ultrasound pulse detection in CA patients. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that a Doppler ultrasound obtained pulse will be more accurate than manual palpation for detecting an arterial pulse in patients in CA. Methods: This is a prospective observational study of non-traumatic CA patients that occurred at North Shore University Hospital. During a pulse check, the presence of both a femoral Doppler waveform and manual femoral pulse were recorded simultaneously. These values were compared to the arterial line waveform, which served as the gold standard. During each pulse check, the presence or absence of a pulse was documented, as well as the arterial line measurement. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of manual palpation and Doppler ultrasound determination of the presence of a pulse. Results: We enrolled a total of 23 patients. The sensitivity of Doppler ultrasound detection of a pulse was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.93) with a specificity of 1.00 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.00), and accuracy of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.94). The sensitivity and specificity of manual palpation of a pulse was 0.27 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.40) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.00), respectively, with an accuracy of 0.46 (95% CI: 0.34, 0.58). Conclusion: Determining the presence of a pulse in the management of cardiac arrest patients is a critical step in the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support algorithm. Our preliminary data suggests that Doppler ultrasound has a higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting a pulse in CA patients and highlights the inaccuracy of manual pulse palpation. These preliminary results could lead to a change in the practice of pulse checks, to favor the use of Doppler ultrasound detection. Further data is needed to determine what blood pressure readings correspond to a perfusable rhythm.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to 185 countries with over 2.1 million confirmed cases and 145,000 deaths, as per the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard provided at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. Imaging modalities such as chest radiography, thoracic and cardiovascular ultrasound, and computed tomography have roles in the diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, and therapy of COVID-19. However, the potential benefits of imaging need to be balanced against resource utilization and infectious risk.