COVID-19 is a disease caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2, a virus that affects multiple organ systems with numerous disease manifestations. COVID-19 has a specific tropism for the lower respiratory tract, and the most common presentation of this disease is viral pneumonia.

Computed tomography (CT) is the definitive test for diagnosing COVID-19 pneumonia at any phase, as it is more sensitive than the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.2 However, both CT and RT-PCR can be challenging to perform due to limited access or resources.

Therefore, bedside assessment with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been increasingly utilized to aid in diagnosis and management. We will briefly cover the most common POCUS exam findings for COVID-19 using lung ultrasound (LUS) and cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS).

Of note, when performing a comprehensive POCUS exam, deep venous thrombosis (DVT) assessment is also recommended due to the pro-thrombotic state induced by the COVID-19 infection.

Read More