The Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma, universally known as FAST, is a rapid bedside ultrasound protocol performed on patients who have experienced significant traumatic injury. The examination evaluates four areas: the right upper quadrant around the liver and kidney, the left upper quadrant around the spleen and kidney, the pelvis behind the bladder, and the subxiphoid region around the heart. The primary goal is to detect free fluid, which in a trauma setting typically represents blood from internal injuries. The extended FAST, or eFAST, adds evaluation of both lungs for pneumothorax. A positive FAST exam in an unstable trauma patient typically leads directly to emergency surgery without waiting for CT scanning.
Sonography Term