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The Effect of Point of Care Ultrasonography on Imaging Studies in the MICU: A Comparative Study.
Chest. 2014 Aug 21;
Authors: Oks M, Cleven KL, Cardenas-Garcia J, Schaub JA, Koenig S, Cohen RI, Mayo PH, Narasimhan M
Abstract
Abstract: Background:Point of care ultrasonography performed by frontline intensivists offers the possibility of reducing the use of traditional imaging in the medical intensive care unit (MICU). We compared the use of traditional radiographic studies between two MICU's; one where point of care ultrasonography is used as a primary imaging modality to another where it is only used for procedure guidance. Methods:This was a retrospective 3 month chart review comparing the utilization of chest radiographs (CXR), computerized tomographic scans (CT) (chest and abdomen/pelvis), trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) performed by the cardiology service, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) ultrasonography studies performed by the radiology service between two MICU's of similar size, acuity and staffing levels. Results:Total number of admissions, patient demographics, and acuity of disease were similar between both MICU's. Comparing the non-point of care ultrasonography MICU with the point of care ultrasonography MICU, there were 3.75±4.6 versus 0.82±1.85 (p<0.0001) CXR per patient; 0.10±0.31 versus 0.04±0.20 (p=0.0007) chest CT scans per patient; 0.17±0.44 versus 0.05±0.24 (p<0.0001) abdomen/pelvis CT scans per patient; 0.20±0.47 versus 0.02±0.14 (p<0.0001) radiology performed DVT studies per patient; and 0.18±0.40 versus 0.07±0.26 (p<0.0001) cardiology performed TTE per patient, respectively. Conclusion:The use of point of care ultrasonography in an MICU is associated with a significant reduction in the number of imaging studies performed by the radiology and cardiology services.
Background: Point of care ultrasonography performed by frontline intensivists offers the possibility of reducing the use of traditional imaging in the medical intensive care unit (MICU). We compared the use of traditional radiographic studies between two MICU's; one where point of care ultrasonography is used as a primary imaging modality to another where it is only used for procedure guidance.
Methods: This was a retrospective 3 month chart review comparing the utilization of chest radiographs (CXR), computerized tomographic scans (CT) (chest and abdomen/pelvis), trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) performed by the cardiology service, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) ultrasonography studies performed by the radiology service between two MICU's of similar size, acuity and staffing levels.
Results: Total number of admissions, patient demographics, and acuity of disease were similar between both MICU's. Comparing the non-point of care ultrasonography MICU with the point of care ultrasonography MICU, there were 3.75±4.6 versus 0.82±1.85 (p<0.0001) CXR per patient; 0.10±0.31 versus 0.04±0.20 (p=0.0007) chest CT scans per patient; 0.17±0.44 versus 0.05±0.24 (p<0.0001) abdomen/pelvis CT scans per patient; 0.20±0.47 versus 0.02±0.14 (p<0.0001) radiology performed DVT studies per patient; and 0.18±0.40 versus 0.07±0.26 (p<0.0001) cardiology performed TTE per patient, respectively.
Conclusion: The use of point of care ultrasonography in an MICU is associated with a significant reduction in the number of imaging studies performed by the radiology and cardiology services.
PMID: 25144593 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]