Ultrasound in the Limited-Resource Setting: A Systematic Qualitative Review

Purpose of Review The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recently published literature regarding ultrasound (US) use in limited-resource settings. Recent Findings The body of literature is quite heterogeneous, but several recurring themes emerged from the data. Research regarding education is burgeoning, with studies showing that low-cost training modules can effectively teach US skills to novices. Many studies reported feasibility of training non-physicians to perform US, which allows for task-shifting. Research regarding clinical application of US is broad; especially regarding Echocardiography, Infectious Disease, and OB-GYN. Summary US continues to be a highly utilized tool in limited-resource settings. We identified several common themes among the recent literature: the use of educational interventions to train non-physician providers, the use of US for improved screening methods, and the expanded role of US in clinical purposes including Infectious Disease, Echocardiography, Pulmonary, and Obstetrics.