Guidance published: Point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose gallstone disease
Health Technology Wales has today published national Guidance on point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose gallstone disease.
We appraised the clinical and cost effectiveness of point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose gallstone disease.
The use of portable point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to diagnose gallstone disease shows promise, but the current evidence is insufficient to support routine adoption.
Studies to date have primarily considered the diagnostic accuracy of POCUS but uncertainties remain about the effectiveness of POCUS when used alongside other investigations as part of clinical decision-making.
Due to uncertainties around clinical effectiveness, in particular the waiting time before receiving a scan, reliable conclusions about the potential economic consequences of using POCUS cannot be drawn.
Further research is recommended to demonstrate the clinical and cost effectiveness of portable POCUS in emergency and acute care settings.
The status of our Guidance is that NHS Wales should adopt this guidance or justify why it has not been followed. We will evaluate the adoption and impact of our Guidance.
We’ve published Guidance, an Evidence Appraisal Report (EAR), a Topic Exploration Report and a plain language summary for this topic. Click here to read about this topic.
HTW Appraisal Panel considers appraisal evidence within the context of NHS Wales and produces the HTW Guidance. The panel also helps us to identify important topics, evaluates the uptake of guidance and facilitates stakeholder engagement. It has pan-Wales and multi-disciplinary representation. Learn more about our Appraisal Process.
