POCUS can diagnose or strongly suggest a wide range of urgent conditions in children directly at the bedside, without waiting for formal radiology. The most commonly used applications in paediatric practice include:
- Lung: pneumonia, pleural effusion, bronchiolitis, pneumothorax
- Cardiac: pericardial effusion, reduced cardiac contractility, congenital heart concerns
- Abdomen: intussusception (target sign), free fluid, appendiceal changes
- Fluid status: inferior vena cava assessment for dehydration and volume status
- Procedural guidance: central venous access, lumbar puncture, pleural drainage
- Neonatal cranial: intraventricular haemorrhage assessment through the fontanelle
Each of these applications provides a focused answer to a specific clinical question rather than a comprehensive organ survey, which is what makes POCUS distinct from formal radiology.
Written by Dr Chhaya Pathak, MBBS, MD (Pediatrics), Senior Consultant Paediatrician and Co-Founder, Vatsalya Children's Hospital, Mahavir Road, Orderly Bazar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002. Pioneer of Paediatric Point-of-Care Ultrasonography (POCUS) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
