Diagnostic Accuracy and Operational Efficiency of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Long Bone Fractures: A Brazilian Multicenter Study

Starting soon

Conditions studied: Bone Fractures, Long Bone Fracture

In brief

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and operational efficiency of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) for identifying long bone fractures in the emergency department. Traditionally, suspected long bone fractures are diagnosed using X-rays. While effective, X-rays require transporting patients to a radiology suite, involve exposure to ionizing radiation, and can contribute to longer emergency room wait times. POCUS is a portable, radiation-free imaging tool that physicians perform directly at the patient's bedside. The investigators hypothesize that POCUS can accurately identify or rule out long bone fractures when compared to standard X-rays, and that its use will reduce the time required to make clinical decisions. This is a multicenter, prospective observational study. Participants arriving at the emergency department with a suspected long bone fracture will undergo a bedside ultrasound examination performed by a trained emergency physician. Following the ultrasound, all participants will receive standard-of-care X-ray imaging. Researchers will compare the initial POCUS findings to the final X-ray results (the reference standard) to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the ultrasound. Additionally, the study will measure operational timelines-including time to diagnosis, time to treatment decision, and total length of stay in the emergency department-to assess the impact of POCUS on hospital workflow and patient care efficiency.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07728227

Run by

University of Sao Paulo

People needed

260

Starts

2026-10-19

Expected to finish

2027-11-20

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients aged 18 years or older;
• Presenting with clinical suspicion of a long bone fracture (pain, deformity, swelling, or functional limitation);
• Provision of informed consent (signed Informed Consent Form - ICF).

You may not qualify if…

• Patients with open fractures;
• Hemodynamic instability (resuscitation priority);
• Known previous fractures in the same bone segment;
• Need for immediate surgical intervention;
• Refusal to participate.

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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