Point-of-care ultrasound by emergency physicians for direct ureteral stone detection: a case series and review of the literature

Symptomatic urolithiasis is a common cause of emergency department visits, with noncontrast computed tomography considered the imaging gold standard. According to the current guidelines, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is limited to evaluating hydronephrosis as a secondary sign of acute ureteral stones. However, the use of POCUS to detect ureteral stones may lead to decreased radiation to the patient and a more rapid diagnosis. This case series describes 10 patients with suspected symptomatic urolithiasis who were diagnosed accurately by emergency physicians using POCUS to detect obstructive ureteral stones. In three of the cases, POCUS significantly changed the patient's management. This article also describes the proper techniques for the emergency physician to learn to master POCUS for ureteral stone detection.