Welcome to NephroPOCUS.com, winner of the 2020 American Society of Nephrology Innovations in Kidney Education award as well as Nathan Hellman Social Media Project of the Year award by NephJC. The purpose of this website is to advocate for point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS)-enhanced physical examination and serve as a comprehensive resource for anybody interested in POCUS, particularly pertaining to nephrology practice (= NephroPOCUS). It is a home for growing collection of ultrasound images, interesting cases, infographics and visual abstracts. We exercise utmost care not to display any identifiable patient information and the consent has been obtained from patients where applicable.

Why POCUS? POCUS is transforming bedside nephrology by allowing clinicians to answer focused clinical questions in real-time. Questions such as “Is there hydronephrosis?”, “Is there a pericardial effusion?”, or “Is venous congestion contributing to this patient’s kidney injury?” can often be addressed within minutes at the bedside, helping narrow the differential diagnosis and guide management.

Beyond diagnosis, POCUS is a dynamic tool that enables serial assessment of a patient’s response to therapy. Whether monitoring decongestion during ultrafiltration, evaluating the effects of diuretic therapy, or assessing volume status in patients receiving dialysis, POCUS provides valuable physiologic information that complements the clinical examination.

However, enthusiasm must be balanced with competence. POCUS is a powerful extension of the physical examination, but it is not a shortcut. Just as no one becomes proficient in clinical examination after a single workshop, meaningful POCUS competency requires deliberate practice, mentorship, and ongoing learning. Used thoughtfully, POCUS can enhance patient care. Used prematurely or without adequate training, it can lead to misdiagnosis and patient harm. This website aims to share technical pearls and pitfalls and illustrate how POCUS findings can be thoughtfully integrated into clinical decision-making in nephrology and critical care.

Watch this short video to better navigate the website and take advantage of all the resources:

Meet the team:

Abhilash Koratala is an Associate Professor of Medicine and currently the Director of Clinical Imaging for Nephrology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is dual-trained in Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine. He started his academic career at the University of Florida, where he developed a nephrology-oriented POCUS program for internal medicine residents and nephrology fellows. Dr. Koratala has served as chair/co-chair for POCUS courses at the American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation for several consecutive years. In addition, he teaches POCUS on various online platforms and authors a series of posts for a feature called Focus on POCUN on the Renal Fellow Network, a nephrology blog that partners with the American Society of Nephrology. He serves as the associate editor of the POCUS journal. Apart from POCUS, he enjoys the full spectrum of nephrology and has authored over 250 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals to date. Outside the professional sphere, he recharges by spending time with his family and seeking out unique coffee and tea shops wherever he goes. Feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions.

Content management advisor: Ms. Deepti Bhattacharya