title: Focus cardiac ultrasound: the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging viewpoint.
abstract: The concept of point-of-care, problem-oriented focus cardiac ultrasound examination (FoCUS) is increasingly applied in the settings of medical emergencies, including cardiac diseases. The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) recognizes that cardiologists are not the only medical professionals dealing with cardiovascular emergencies. In reality, emergency cardiac diagnostics and treatment are also carried out by a wide range of specialists. For the benefit of the patients, the EACVI encourages any medical professional, sufficiently trained to obtain valuable information from FoCUS, to use it in emergency settings. These medical professionals need to have the necessary knowledge to understand the obtained information entirely, and to use it correctly, thoughtfully and with care. In this document, the EACVI underlines major differences between echocardiography and FoCUS, and underscores the need for specific education and training in order to fully utilize advantages and minimize drawbacks of this type of cardiac ultrasound examination in the critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia neskovic@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Aleksandar N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Neskovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Edvardsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galderisi
authors.affiliation: King's Health Partners, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Madalina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garbi
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department of Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Lecco, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gullace
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Carol Davila', Emergency Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Ruxandra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurcut
authors.affiliation: MI Lab and Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Department of Internal Medicine, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Levanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Havard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dalen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology-Angiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagendorff
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Liège Hospital, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Valve Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lancellotti
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy King's Health Partners, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Cardiovascular Department of Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Lecco, Lecco, Italy Department of Cardiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Carol Davila', Emergency Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania MI Lab and Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Department of Internal Medicine, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Levanger, Norway Department of Cardiology-Angiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Department of Cardiology, University of Liège Hospital, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Valve Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bogdan A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy King's Health Partners, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Cardiovascular Department of Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Lecco, Lecco, Italy Department of Cardiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Carol Davila', Emergency Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania MI Lab and Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Department of Internal Medicine, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Levanger, Norway Department of Cardiology-Angiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Department of Cardiology, University of Liège Hospital, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Valve Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sicari
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy King's Health Partners, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Cardiovascular Department of Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Lecco, Lecco, Italy Department of Cardiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'Carol Davila', Emergency Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania MI Lab and Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Department of Internal Medicine, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Levanger, Norway Department of Cardiology-Angiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Department of Cardiology, University of Liège Hospital, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Valve Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefanidis
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D016638:Critical Illness; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000592:standards*; D004630:Emergencies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems
keywords: EACVI; Focus cardiac; Ultrasound; Viewpoint