Ultrasound imaging is a standard part of prenatal care, offering a non-invasive way to check on the development and well-being of the fetus. While most people are familiar with scheduled, detailed scans performed in an imaging department, a different type of scan is often used in urgent situations or at routine office visits. This specialized application, known as bedside ultrasound, is a rapid tool that assists healthcare providers with immediate patient care.
Understanding Point-of-Care Ultrasound
The technical name for a bedside scan is Point-of-Care Ultrasound, or POCUS, which describes any ultrasound performed by the treating clinician at the patient’s location. This method represents a significant shift from the traditional model where a patient is sent to a dedicated imaging suite for a full study. POCUS equipment is highly portable, often consisting of mobile cart-based units or handheld probes that connect to a tablet or smartphone. This portability allows the technology to be brought directly to the patient, whether in an examination room, a labor and delivery ward, or the emergency department.
POCUS is intended to be an extension of the physical examination, providing immediate visual information to help guide patient management. Unlike a comprehensive scan, the goal of a bedside exam is not to perform a full anatomical survey or detailed measurement. Instead, the operator seeks to answer a single, specific clinical question in real-time to facilitate quick decision-making. This focused approach makes the scan rapid and efficient, allowing the provider to triage a situation or confirm a suspicion without delay.
Key Reasons for Using Bedside Ultrasound During Pregnancy
POCUS is particularly valuable in obstetrics due to the time-sensitive nature of many pregnancy complications and the need for immediate action. One of the most common applications in early pregnancy is confirming fetal viability by quickly checking for the presence of a heartbeat. When a pregnant patient presents with pain or vaginal bleeding, a rapid bedside scan can help determine if the pregnancy is located inside the uterus or if there is a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy.
This focused imaging is also used later in pregnancy to manage urgent situations or prepare for delivery. A provider may use POCUS to rapidly assess the fetal position to confirm if the baby is head-down or in a breech presentation before labor begins. This immediate information helps the medical team plan the safest delivery approach without waiting for a scheduled diagnostic scan. POCUS is also used to evaluate the mother’s condition, such as quickly looking for signs of excessive fluid or pulmonary edema in cases of severe preeclampsia.
The speed and accessibility of the bedside scan are its greatest advantages, allowing for the rapid assessment of amniotic fluid levels. In scenarios like trauma or acute illness, POCUS can also be used to assess maternal organs, such as checking the lungs or heart to guide the immediate stabilization of a critically ill patient.
How Bedside Scans Differ from Diagnostic Ultrasounds
The main distinction between a bedside scan and a diagnostic ultrasound lies in their purpose, scope, and the professional who performs the examination. A diagnostic ultrasound, like the commonly known 20-week anatomy scan, is a comprehensive study performed by a trained diagnostic medical sonographer. This type of scan follows established protocols to systematically evaluate the entire fetal anatomy, measure growth, and document all structures, with images then formally interpreted by a radiologist or specialized physician.
In contrast, the bedside POCUS exam is limited in scope, focusing only on the specific question relevant to the patient’s immediate complaint or condition. The scan is performed and interpreted by the treating healthcare provider—such as a physician, midwife, or emergency department doctor—who is making the clinical decision. This means the provider is using the scan as a direct extension of their physical examination, not as a replacement for the detailed, full-report imaging study.
While the diagnostic scan aims for a detailed, comprehensive report, the bedside scan prioritizes speed and immediate answers for triage and management. The POCUS images may provide limited information but are sufficient to guide a time-sensitive decision, such as whether a patient needs to be admitted or moved to an operating room. Any complex or unclear finding identified during a bedside scan typically requires a subsequent referral for a formal, comprehensive diagnostic ultrasound to obtain the necessary level of detail and documentation.