Instant Pulmonary Embolus and Deep Vein Thrombosis Diagnosis Through Point-of-Care Ultrasound in a Patient Diagnosed With Sepsis Due to a Urinary Tract Infection

Pulmonary embolus (PE) is a life-threatening illness that can be fatal if not treated with anticoagulation in a timely fashion. Without the use of CT angiography for direct visualization of thrombus in the pulmonary arteries or downstream vessels, the diagnosis of a PE can be challenging. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a bedside method that is highly effective in directly evaluating deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and indirectly evaluating PE. In this case, a patient presented to the hospital with hypotension from a presumed urinary tract infection and was treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics. POCUS examination revealed significant right heart strain and femoral DVT despite negative imaging one week prior. This highlights the importance of POCUS in evaluating patients with cardiopulmonary disease.