ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF EARLY POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND IN DIAGNOSING ACUTE ABDOMINAL PAIN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Abstract

Background: Acute abdominal pain is a common and diagnostically challenging complaint in emergency departments (EDs). The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) as an early diagnostic tool has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy, reduce time to diagnosis, and improve patient management. This study evaluates the impact of early POCUS in diagnosing acute abdominal pain in the ED, focusing on diagnostic accuracy, time to diagnosis, and patient disposition.