ABSTRACT
Ultrasonography has become an invaluable tool in the management of critically ill patients. Its safety and portability allow for use at the bedside to provide rapid, detailed information regarding the function and anatomy of certain internal organs. Echocardiography can, noninvasively, elucidate cardiac function and structure. This information is vital in the management of hemodynamically unstable patients. Hand-carried ultrasound devices (HCUs) can provide immediate diagnostic information not assessable by physical examination alone.
