Prevalence, documentation, and communication of incidental findings in focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examinations

Incidental Renal Cysts Found by Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Retrospective Chart Review

BACKGROUND

Incidental findings are unrelated to a patient's complaint, found on diagnostic imaging, such as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Incidental findings represent potential harms to patients and may lead to increased patient anxiety and health care costs related to downstream testing and surveillance.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

In this study, we aimed to calculate the rate of incidental renal cysts found by POCUS. Further, we hoped to describe how emergency physicians relay the findings to patients. Lastly, we hoped to examine if patients suffered harms in the 12 months following identification of an incidental renal cyst.

METHODS

From our single-center, academic emergency department (ED), we reviewed renal POCUS images from 1000 consecutive adult ED patients to determine if there was a renal cyst. Next, we performed manual chart review to determine if patients were informed of the incidental renal cyst or suffered any patient harms.

RESULTS

We found the prevalence of renal cysts to be 6.5% (95% confidence interval: 4.9%-8.4%). Those with cysts were more likely to be older compared to those without (63 ± 14 vs. 49 ± 15 years of age). Only 8% of patients had evidence that they were informed of their incidental renal cyst. No patients received a biopsy or were diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma or polycystic kidney disease.

CONCLUSION

Incidental renal cysts are common and are more likely to be found in older adults. In our study, physicians infrequently informed patients of their incidental finding.

Consensus-based ethical best practices for performing educational point-of-care ultrasonography in the emergency department

Objectives

There is no standardized protocol for performing educational point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) that addresses patient-centered ethical issues such as obtaining informed consent. This study sought to define principles for ethical application of educational POCUS and develop consensus-based best practice guidance.

Methods

A questionnaire was developed by a trained ethicist after literature review with the help of a medical librarian. A diverse panel including experts in medical education, law, and bioethics; medical trainees; and individuals with no medical background was convened. The panel voted on their level of agreement with ethical principles and degree of appropriateness of behaviors in three rounds of a modified Delphi process. A high level of agreement was defined as 80% or greater consensus.

Results

Panelists voted on 38 total items: 15 related to the patient consent and selection process, eight related to practices while performing educational POCUS, and 15 scenarios involving POCUS application. A high level of agreement was achieved for 13 items related to patient consent and selection, eight items related to performance practices, and 10 scenarios of POCUS application.

Conclusions

Based on expert consensus, ethical best practices include obtaining informed consent before performing educational POCUS, allowing patients to decline educational POCUS, informing patients the examination is not intended to be a part of their medical evaluation and is not billed, using appropriate draping techniques, maintaining a professional environment, and disclosing incidental findings in coordination with the primary team caring for the patient. These practices could be implemented at institutions to encourage ethical use of educational POCUS when training physicians, fellows, residents, and medical students.

The 2023 Core Content of advanced emergency medicine ultrasonography

In February 2023, the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) approved modifications to the Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography (AEMUS) Core Content, which defines the areas of knowledge considered essential for the practice of AEMUS. This manuscript serves as a revision of the AEMUS Core Content originally published in 2014. The revision of the Core Content for AEMUS training aims to establish standardized education and qualifications necessary for AEMUS fellowship program leadership, clinical application, administration, quality improvement, and research. The Core Content provides the organizational framework and serves as the basis for the development of content for the Focused Practice Examination (FPE) administered by ABEM. AEMUS fellowship directors may reference the Core Content when designing AEMUS fellowship curricula to help prepare graduates for the autonomous practice of AEMUS and the FPE. In this article, an updated revision of the previously published AEMUS Core Content is detailed, and the entire development of the Core Content is presented.