Ultrasonografía a la cabecera del enfermo. Una nueva herramienta para el internista

While ultrasonography has been a mainstay of certain medical specialities, internal medicine has been slower to integrate this technology into practice. Ultrasonography has become an invaluable tool in the diagnosis, management and follow up in clinical practice. Its safety and portability allow for use at the bedside to provide rapid and detailed information regarding the anatomy and function of internal organs. Ultrasound complements the clinical evaluation and can provide immediate diagnostic information not assessable by physical examination. Ultrasound guidance of invasive procedures, such as vascular canulation, can achive higher success rate, fewer complications, number of attempts and failure rate. The aim of this paper is to present the basic principles of clinical ultrasonography for the internist and propose the implementation of this tool in training and in the practice of internal medicine.