Utility of Point-of-care Ultrasound in Clinical Care: A Narrative Review

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as an essential bedside diagnostic tool in modern clinical practice. By enabling real-time visualization of anatomical structures and physiological processes, POCUS allows clinicians to rapidly evaluate patients and integrate imaging findings directly into clinical decision-making. This narrative review summarizes current evidence regarding the clinical utility of POCUS across both critical and noncritical care settings. Key applications include the use of structured ultrasound protocols during cardiac arrest, such as the US-CAB framework, and lung ultrasound approaches like the bedside lung ultrasound in emergency protocol for evaluating acute respiratory failure. In addition, growing evidence supports the use of POCUS in common emergency department presentations, including acute flank pain, nontraumatic abdominal pain, and undifferentiated chest pain or dyspnea. Across these clinical scenarios, POCUS has been shown to facilitate rapid diagnosis, reduce reliance on radiation-based imaging, and improve operational efficiency by shortening emergency department length of stay and expediting clinical decision-making. Despite its clinical advantages, the effective implementation of POCUS requires appropriate operator training and standardized protocols to ensure diagnostic reliability. Ongoing advances in portable ultrasound technology and image-analysis tools may further enhance the accessibility and clinical integration of POCUS in diverse healthcare environments. Overall, POCUS represents a valuable extension of bedside clinical assessment and continues to play an expanding role in modern patient-centered care.