ULTRASOUND OF THE URINARY TRACT

Course overview

THE MOST COMMON INDICATION FOR A POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND OF THE URINARY TRACT IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IS FLANK PAIN, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS IN THE UNITED STATES ANNUALLY. ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH FLANK PAIN HAVE NEPHROLITHIASIS, OR KIDNEY STONES. WHILE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) IMAGING IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR DIAGNOSING URINARY TRACT STONES, POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND IS INCREASINGLY BEING RECOGNIZED AS A PRIMARY INITIAL IMAGING MODALITY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBE THE INDICATIONS FOR THE USE OF ULTRASOUND TO EVALUATE FOR PATHOLOGY OF THE URINARY TRACT AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH URINARY TRACT PATHOLOGY.