The Open Emergency Medicine Journal

2010, 3 : 22-24
Published online 2010 October 12. DOI: 10.2174/1876542401003010022
Publisher ID: TOEMJ-3-22

Ultrasound Guided Volume Assessment Using Inferior Vena Cava Diameter

Mathew L. Lyon and Neha Verma
Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA

ABSTRACT

Ultrasound provides a rapid method of evaluating the emergency patient at the bedside by the treating physician. Besides being advantageous in eliminating or supporting a differential diagnosis in an emergency patient, bedside ultrasound can also rapidly evaluate physiology. This articles describes such a use of bedside ultrasound, the evaluation of the inferior vena cava size and collapsibility in the evaluation of shock states. The ultrasound procedure is described as well as how to integrate the information gained from this test into clinical practice.

Keywords:

Ultrasound, clinical ultrasound, inferior vena cava diameter, shock evaluation, bedside sonography.