EVIDENCE-BASED USE OF HANDHELD ULTRASOUND IN CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY



Ilan Kedan, M.D., Cedars Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Background: Ultrasound technology is central to diagnosis, treatment, management, and prognosis in the field of clinical cardiology. Applications of cardiovascular ultrasound and vascular ultrasound have long been used as the established standard of care.

Hypothesis: Future uses and expanded applications of the use of current ultrasound technologies are imminent in the field of clinical cardiology. Current evidence-based uses of handheld ultrasound: The following areas have been demonstrated as evidence-based uses of handheld ultrasound in clinical cardiology: 1. Diagnosis of severe cardiac abnormalities. 2. Diagnosis of pericardial and pleural fluid collections. 3. Prognosis in cardiac arrest patients. 4. Prognosis in outpatient congestive heart failure patients.

Anticipated evidence-based uses: Future incorporations of handheld ultrasound technology are inevitable given the quality and timing of data acquisition – at the point-of-care. As the technology becomes more accessible and it is more incorporated into day to day use and patient care workflows, I anticipate further evidence-based uses in the diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. Since ultrasound gives dynamic imaging data that can be influenced by changes in physiology and treatment, I anticipate future science to discover uses for handheld ultrasound in acute and chronic cardiovascular disease management as well as finding additional prognostic usefulness.