Which rapid bedside ultrasound is used in trauma to assess for internal bleeding or organ injury?

• A. A-line
• B. VBG
• C. FAST exam
• D. Pan scan

Answer: (C)

The FAST exam, or focused assessment with sonography in trauma, is a rapid bedside ultrasound protocol used in trauma to quickly detect internal bleeding or organ injury. It is designed to be done in the emergency or trauma setting at the patient’s side, giving immediate information about free fluid in the abdomen or pelvis, which implies hemorrhage, as well as any pericardial effusion that could signal tamponade. In the extended version, it can also assess for pneumothorax.

Clinically, this test helps determine urgency. If free intraperitoneal fluid or a pericardial effusion is found in an unstable patient, it supports urgent surgical intervention or rapid resuscitation decisions. If the exam is negative and the patient is stable, doctors may consider further imaging like CT, depending on the overall assessment.

The other options aren’t rapid bedside ultrasound tests for bleeding in trauma. An arterial line is a vascular access procedure, a venous blood gas is a lab test, and a pan-scan refers to a comprehensive CT scan, which is not a bedside ultrasound.