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Contact: Angie Porter
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aporter@ASEcho.org
ASE Publishes New Guideline on Cardiac POCUS to Help Optimize Pediatric Patient Care
The guideline provides recommendations for consistency in utilization of cardiac POCUS in children through collaboration across specialties
(DURHAM, NC, March 2, 2023)—Cardiovascular ultrasound is a powerful tool for evaluating cardiac structures and function, and technological advances and education have led to widespread bedside use of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). POCUS is a problem-oriented imaging tool enabling practitioners to evaluate and diagnose ventricular function and physiology, but its application to children requires consideration of anatomic and physiologic differences from adult populations and corresponding technical aspects.
A new guideline document from the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) establishes a framework for indications of cardiac POCUS in the pediatric population. Recommendations for Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Children: A Report from the American Society of Echocardiography provides more uniform recommendations that address specific considerations of cardiac POCUS in children.
The guideline recommendations were developed by a diverse writing group comprised of experts from different specialties offering an array of perspectives and approaches. The document is intended to facilitate collaboration among subspecialties and pediatric echocardiography laboratories by identifying key considerations regarding indications, imaging recommendations, training and competency assessment, and quality assurance.
“Although the clinical scenarios for someone in the pediatric emergency room, intensive care unit or operating room may vary dramatically, there are common technical factors to consider when imaging children and the same need for appropriate training and quality assurance,” said lead author Jimmy C. Lu, MD, FASE. “Previously, there were not uniform recommendations for utilization in the pediatric population, leading to variation among specialties, sometimes even within the same institution. This guideline aims to define those common considerations and to emphasize the importance of collaboration across specialties to optimize pediatric patient care.”
This document is published in the March 2023 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. View all guidelines published by ASE by visiting ASEcho.org/Guidelines.
About American Society of Echocardiography
The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) is the Society for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Professionals™. ASE is the largest global organization for cardiovascular ultrasound imaging serving physicians, sonographers, nurses, veterinarians, and scientists and as such is the leader and advocate, setting practice standards and guidelines for the field. The Society is committed to advancing cardiovascular ultrasound to improve lives. For more information, visit ASE’s website ASEcho.org or social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
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