It Is Always Early with Point-of-Care Ultrasound

A 56-year-old male was admitted to the emergency department for acute pulmonary edema and septic shock, yet no clear source of infection was noted upon physical examination. Due to his unstable condition, bedside ultrasound was performed. A heterogeneous mass in the liver was noted; hence, a tentative diagnosis of liver abscess was made. The abscess was confirmed by abdominal magnetic resonance imaging. Drainage of the abscess was attempted and guided by early ultrasound. This case highlights that point-of-care ultrasound, when performed by an ultrasound-capable critical care physician, can significantly decrease the time to diagnosis for septic patients.