From the Stethoscope to the Silicon-Scope: Bedside Ultrasound as the Fourth Pillar of Physical Examination
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61182/rnavmed.v11n2a6Keywords:
Point-of-care ultrasound, Physical examination, Diagnostic imaging, Artificial intelligence, Medical education, CardiologyAbstract
For centuries, the physical examination has been the cornerstone of the physician-patient relationship, relying on sensory acuity and clinical intuition. Today, emerging technologies—particularly point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)—are expanding this paradigm without replacing it. This article reviews the transformative role of POCUS as the fourth pillar of clinical assessment, complementing inspection, palpation, and auscultation by providing an immediate, safe, and quantifiable window into the human body. We detail its diagnostic, therapeutic, and educational benefits in adult and pediatric cardiology, alongside challenges for global implementation. Through a critical and humanistic lens, we argue that the true value of these tools lies not merely in their technology, but in their ability to enhance clinical empathy, optimize decision-making, and democratize access to more precise and patient-centered care.
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Copyright (c) 2025 David Fernando Ortiz-Pérez, Juan Diego Emiliani-Cortes, Natalia Sofía Torres-Herrera, Mario Enrique Montoya-Jaramillo
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
