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World J Nephrol. Dec 25, 2023; 12(5): 112-119
Published online Dec 25, 2023. doi: 10.5527/wjn.v12.i5.112
Seeing through the myths: Practical aspects of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound in nephrology
Abhilash Koratala, Amir Kazory
Abhilash Koratala, Division of Nephrology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI 53226, United States
Amir Kazory, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Renal Transplantation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
Author contributions: Koratala A designed and drafted the manuscript; Kazory A reviewed and revised the manuscript for critical intellectual content.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Abhilash Koratala, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Nephrology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 W Watertown Plank Road, HUB 7th Floor, Wauwatosa, WI 53226, United States. koratala.abhi@gmail.com
Received: July 23, 2023
Peer-review started: July 23, 2023
First decision: September 26, 2023
Revised: October 16, 2023
Accepted: November 8, 2023
Article in press: November 8, 2023
Published online: December 25, 2023
Processing time: 151 Days and 11.9 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Nephrologists frequently encounter challenges in assessing fluid volume status in their daily practice, and point of care ultrasonography (POCUS) can significantly enhance the sensitivity of traditional physical examination in such scenarios. Not only does POCUS aid in swift diagnosis, but it also reduces fragmentation of care. While it may obviate the need for additional imaging studies in specific cases, it should not be considered a replacement for comprehensive consultative imaging. The effectiveness of POCUS largely relies on the proficiency and experience of the operator, which, in turn, is influenced by the quality of training provided.