A course on the fundamentals of ultrasonography for evaluation of trauma patients was sponsored by the Missouri Committee on Trauma and the School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, March 1 and 2, 1996. The course presented the basics of ultrasound physics, instrumentation and extensive practice sessions emphasizing the detection of hypoechoic fluid in the peritoneal cavity. A focused examination was conducted in sequence: RUQ-Morison's pouch, epigastric area-pericardial view, LUQ-splenodiaphragmatic area and the suprapubic view of the pouch of Douglas. Ultrasound is a rapid, sensitive, specific and noninvasive modality for detecting intraabdominal fluid and pericardial effusion. There is nation-wide trend to use ultrasound in the trauma resuscitation area. J. Trauma 34:516, 1993.
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