FAST in Pregnant Patients

pelvic ultrasound of a female who is 28 weeks pregnant.

The focused sonography for trauma (FAST) exam is one of the most commonly used assessments to look for free intraperitoneal and pericardial fluid from internal trauma. How much do you know about using FAST in pregnant patients? Test your knowledge!

This quiz is based on the article “Evidence Behind Focused Sonography for Trauma During Pregnancy,” ACEP Now, January 2020.

Which of the following is true about the use of the focused sonography for trauma (FAST) exam in assessing traumatic injury in patients who are pregnant?

Sensitivity is more than 98 percent

Sensitivity is widely variable depending on the study

Specificity estimates are frequently above 98 percent

Statistics on FAST in pregnant patients have been calculated based on thousands of cases

Most studies on FAST in pregnant patients have been prospective randomized trials