Using ultrasound to diagnose long bone fractures.

Point-of-care ultrasound may be an alternative to radiographs for diagnosing long bone fractures when medical resources are limited. Safe and timesaving, ultrasound also can be used in the ED as a screening tool for suspected long bone fractures and can detect associated musculoskeletal injuries. Ultrasound can be used in radiation-sensitive patients such as children and pregnant patients.Studies have found that clinicians using ultrasound can detect long bone fractures with an average 90% sensitivity and specificity after an average of 1 to 4 hours total of didactic and practical training. More research is needed to determine standards for ultrasound training, patient morbidity outcomes, cost effectiveness, and insurance benefits.