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Diagnostic Accuracy of a Handheld Ultrasound vs a Cart-based Model: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Ryan C Gibbons1, Daniel J Jaeger1, Matthew Berger2
1Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
|April 10, 2024
Summary
Portable, handheld point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices demonstrate diagnostic accuracy comparable to traditional cart-based models. This finding supports the expanded clinical use of these cost-effective, portable ultrasound technologies.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Ultrasound Technology
Background:
- Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly utilized due to its accuracy and the advent of portable, handheld devices.
- While traditional cart-based ultrasound machines are established, portable POCUS devices offer cost-effectiveness and expanded clinical applications.
- Limited data exists on the diagnostic accuracy of portable POCUS devices compared to their cart-based counterparts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the diagnostic accuracy of portable, handheld POCUS devices with traditional cart-based POCUS models.
- To evaluate the performance of handheld POCUS devices in various clinical scenarios including cardiac, lung, renal, aorta, and biliary imaging.
Main Methods:
- An institutional review board-approved, prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted.
- Adult patients requiring cardiac, lung, renal, aorta, or biliary POCUS were randomized to either a portable handheld device or a cart-based model.
- Diagnostic accuracy was calculated using 2x2 tables with 95% confidence intervals, comparing the two device types.
Main Results:
- A total of 110 patients were enrolled, with 56 assigned to the cart-based model and 54 to the handheld device.
- The handheld device showed a sensitivity of 92.9% (CI: 66.1-99.8) and specificity of 92.3% (CI: 79.1-98.4%).
- The cart-based model had a sensitivity of 77.8% (CI: 40-97.2) and specificity of 91.5% (CI: 79.6-97.6), with overall diagnostic accuracies of 92.5% and 89.3%, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Portable, handheld POCUS devices exhibit diagnostic accuracy similar to conventional cart-based ultrasound systems.
- The study supports the clinical utility and reliability of portable POCUS devices in diverse imaging applications.
- Handheld POCUS devices represent a viable and accurate alternative to traditional systems, potentially increasing accessibility to ultrasound diagnostics.
