PoCUS Cases for Learners

This image library serves as an educational platform for all learners to visualise and familiarise themselves with common cardiac pathologies as well as various degrees of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. 

In emergency medicine, while the exact left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) percentage is less relevant, the degree of LV dysfunction does often provide relevant information to guide the best clinical management of the patient.

Many studies have shown that emergency physicians can reliably interpret focused echocardiography after minimal training, including an accurate estimation of left ventricular function. In fact, visual estimation of LVEF has been found to be comparable to expert calculated measurements like Simpson’s biplane method (1). 

A 2014 study assessing the degree of agreement between junior emergency medicine residents and expert cardiologists for LVEF showed substantial agreement with a 𝜅=0.79 (2). This particular study was evaluated agreement after after a web-based teaching on general ultrasound skills as well as specific cardiac ultrasound technique, followed by only 3 hours of practical bedside training. 

References:
1. Randazzo MR, Snoey ER, Levitt MA, et al. Accuracy of emergency physician assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction and central venous pressure using echocardiography. Acad Emerg Med 2003;10:973–7.
2. Bustam A, et al. Emerg Med J 2014;31:369–373. doi:10.1136/emermed-2012-201789