Ecografía clínica en el proceso de toma de decisiones en medicina / Clinical ultrasonography in the decision-making process in medicine point-of-care ultrasound in clinical decision making

La ecografía clínica ha experimentado un importante desarrollo en los últimos años debido a su gran utilidad y a la miniaturización de los equipos que han permitido llegar a la cabecera del enfermo. Se trata de una herramienta que complementa la anamnesis y la exploración física tradicional aumentando la potencia diagnóstica del profesional que la emplea en numerosos escenarios clínicos y que puede ser aplicada en todos los pasos de la toma de decisiones sobre el paciente. En manos de los generalistas, la aplicación de los ultrasonidos en diferentes áreas del cuerpo (ecografía multiórgano) permite optimizar no solo la capacidad diagnóstica, sino la estratificación pronóstica y el seguimiento evolutivo tras la aplicación de un tratamiento. De la misma forma que existe una sistemática de exploración física convencional, se debe plantear el establecimiento de un protocolo de exploración ecográfica que complemente a la primera y de esta forma poder redefinir y potenciar la exploración clásica

Clinical ultrasonography has undergone significant development in recent years due to its considerable usefulness and equipment miniaturisation, which have enabled its use at the point of care. Clinical ultrasonography is a tool that supplements the classical anamnesis and physical examination, thereby increasing the practitioner's diagnostic power. This tool can be employed in numerous clinical scenarios and can be applied at all steps when making decisions about the patient. In the hands of the general practitioner, ultrasonography of the various areas of the body (multiorgan ultrasonography) optimises not only the diagnostic capacity but also the prognostic stratification and monitoring of progress after treatment has been applied. As with the systematic nature of conventional physical examinations, we need to establish an ultrasound examination protocol that supplements the physical examination, thereby redefining and boosting the classic examination

Clinical ultrasonography in the decision-making process in medicine point-of-care ultrasound in clinical decision making. / Ecografía clínica en el proceso de toma de decisiones en medicina.

Clinical ultrasonography has undergone significant development in recent years due to its considerable usefulness and equipment miniaturisation, which have enabled its use at the point of care. Clinical ultrasonography is a tool that supplements the classical anamnesis and physical examination, thereby increasing the practitioner's diagnostic power. This tool can be employed in numerous clinical scenarios and can be applied at all steps when making decisions about the patient. In the hands of the general practitioner, ultrasonography of the various areas of the body (multiorgan ultrasonography) optimises not only the diagnostic capacity but also the prognostic stratification and monitoring of progress after treatment has been applied. As with the systematic nature of conventional physical examinations, we need to establish an ultrasound examination protocol that supplements the physical examination, thereby redefining and boosting the classic examination.