Neuro-POCUS - neurosonological examination performed at the patient's bedside

Due to its non-invasiveness and relatively low cost, ultrasound examination has become an integral part of medical practice. Thanks to the pressure for faster and more accurate diagnosis in the last decade, especially for acute diseases, a new concept of ultrasound examination is being developed directly at the point of care of the patient using mobile ultrasound devices. This new concept was named point-of-care ultrasound or POCUS, and it has also been extended to neurology in recent years under the name Neuro-POCUS. Neuro POCUS is defined as a targeted ultrasound examination of the head, neck, orbit, or musculoskeletal system performed at the patient's bedside to obtain a rapid answer to a specific clinical question related to neurological symptoms in real time. Currently, Neuro POCUS examination appears to be a very promising alternative to a complex neurosonological examination, especially for patients in the emergency room, ICU, infectious or unstable patients, or when perioperative patient monitoring is required. Detailed examination protocols are still lacking, but working groups are beginning to create lists of clinical questions and indications.

Keywords: ultrasound, diagnostics, acute diseases.