The following is a summary of “Ultrasound for the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis: A systematic review of the literature,” published in the March 2023 issue of Emergency Medicine by Marks, et al.

For a study, researchers conducted a systematic review to determine the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in diagnosing necrotizing fasciitis (NF). NF is a deadly disorder that is difficult to diagnose through history and examination alone. However, POCUS is an increasingly used tool for diagnosing skin and soft tissue infections, and its accuracy for diagnosing NF was evaluated by searching various databases.

After assessing several studies like PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS, the Cochrane databases, Google Scholar, and bibliographies of selected articles, three papers with 221 patients (33% NF) were included in the review. The results showed that the overall sensitivity of POCUS for diagnosing NF ranged from 85.4% to 100%, while the specificity ranged from 44.7% to 98.2%. The most sensitive POCUS examination component was the detection of fluid accumulation along the fascial plane, with a sensitivity of 85.4% (95% CI 72.2% – 93.9%). The most specific POCUS examination component was the detection of subcutaneous emphysema, with a specificity of 100% (95% CI 92.5% – 100%).

The study concluded that POCUS has good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing NF and should be considered an adjunct to initial clinical decision-making for diagnosing NF. By using POCUS in combination with other diagnostic methods, clinicians may be able to more accurately diagnose NF, leading to more effective treatment and better outcomes for patients.

Reference: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073567572200780X