{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T18:15:39Z","timestamp":1778696139180,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Scientific Scholar","content-domain":{"domain":["jpalliativecare.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["IJPC"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"st1\">\n                    <jats:title>Objectives:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the utilisation and clinical impact of palliative medicine POCUS (PM-POCUS) in a specialist palliative care OPD, in a tertiary cancer centre in India. Patients with advanced cancer frequently present to palliative care outpatient departments (OPDs) with symptoms such as dyspnoea and abdominal distension, often due to pleural effusion, ascites or deep vein thrombosis. Timely diagnosis of these conditions is critical for symptom relief, yet access to imaging is frequently delayed, particularly in resource-limited settings. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), performed by the treating physician, offers a rapid, bedside diagnostic tool that can guide immediate management decisions. While POCUS has demonstrated utility in inpatient and hospice environments, its application and impact in palliative OPD settings remain underexplored.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"st2\">\n                    <jats:title>Materials and Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We included adult cancer patients (\u226518 years) who underwent PM-POCUS between September and December 2024. All scans were performed by a single consultant to ensure consistency. The primary outcome was the proportion of cases where PMPOCUS influenced clinical management; secondary outcomes included the spectrum of indications and symptom relief.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"st3\">\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Ninety PM-POCUS applications were performed in 76 patients, predominantly with gastrointestinal, breast or gynaecological cancers. The most common indications were abdominal distention and dyspnoea. Ascites was diagnosed in 58 cases, pleural effusion in 16. 33% of POCUS assessments led to interventions, including paracentesis, pain blocks and pleural tapping.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"st4\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Routine integration of PM-POCUS in palliative OPD facilitated rapid diagnosis and intervention, significantly impacting clinical management and symptom relief for advanced cancer patients. These findings support broader adoption and further research on PM-POCUS in outpatient palliative care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.25259\/ijpc_213_2025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]],"date-time":"2025-08-18T10:16:20Z","timestamp":1755512180000},"page":"306-310","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.25259\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Palliative Medicine Point of Care UltraSound in Cancer Patients in a Specialist Palliative Medicine Outpatient Department: A Retrospective Analysis of Diagnostic and Procedural Impact"],"prefix":"10.25259","volume":"31","author":[{"given":"Raghu S.","family":"Thota","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shamali","family":"Poojary","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jayita","family":"Deodhar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Isha Jatin","family":"Shah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shruti","family":"Kamble","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ajila","family":"Ajithkumar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"T. M.","family":"Varun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sachin","family":"Gunde","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Prajakta","family":"Bhagat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"10894","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpainsymman.2005.06.007","article-title":"A Comparison of Symptom Prevalence in far Advanced Cancer, AIDS, Heart Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Renal Disease","volume":"31","author":"Solano","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Pain Symptom Manage"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.25259\/IJPC_274_2022","article-title":"Time to FOCUS-\"Palliative Medicine Point-of-care Ultrasound\"","volume":"29","author":"Thota","year":"2023","journal-title":"Indian J Palliat Care"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"404","DOI":"10.14423\/SMJ.0000000000000835","article-title":"Point-of-Care Ultrasound Applications in the Outpatient Clinic","volume":"111","author":"Wagner","year":"2018","journal-title":"South Med J"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1177\/1049909115625960","article-title":"The Use of Ultrasound in Palliative Care and Hospice","volume":"34","author":"Chernack","year":"2016","journal-title":"Am J Hosp Palliat Med"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.4103\/0973-1075.156465","article-title":"Utility and Potential of Bedside Ultrasound in Palliative Care","volume":"21","author":"Dhamija","year":"2015","journal-title":"Indian J Palliat Care"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1089\/pmr.2021.0067","article-title":"Utilization of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in a Specialist Palliative Care Team Across Multiple Care Settings: A Retrospective Chart Review","volume":"3","author":"Arya","year":"2022","journal-title":"Palliat Med Rep"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"642","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2354.2009.01071.x","article-title":"Bedside Ultrasound--Experience in a Palliative Care Unit","volume":"18","author":"Gishen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eur J Cancer Care (Engl)"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"148","DOI":"10.1071\/HC14148","article-title":"The Use of Bedside Ultrasound and Community-based Paracentesis in a Palliative Care Service","volume":"6","author":"Landers","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Prim Health Care"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"A65","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjspcare-2013-000591.177","article-title":"P155 Masking Sense of Shades of Grey!: Impact of Hospice Ultrasound use on Patient Care","volume":"3","author":"Jones","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMJ Support Palliat Care"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjspcare-2011-000105.60","article-title":"Ultrasound Scanning in a Hospice Setting-does it Really Alter Patient Pathways?","volume":"1","author":"Nemeth","year":"2011","journal-title":"BMJ Support Palliat Care"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"405","DOI":"10.1177\/1049909111420130","article-title":"Management of Symptomatic Ascites in Hospice Patients with Paracentesis: A Case Series Report","volume":"29","author":"Zama","year":"2012","journal-title":"Am J Hosp Palliat Care"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1553-2712.2009.00678.x","article-title":"Palliative Ultrasound for Home Care Hospice Patients","volume":"17","author":"Mariani","year":"2010","journal-title":"Acad Emerg Med"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1080\/00365540802616726","article-title":"Discomfort in Dementia Patients Dying from Pneumonia and its Relief by Antibiotics","volume":"41","author":"van der Steen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Scand J Infect Dis"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1659","DOI":"10.1378\/chest.14-1313","article-title":"BLUE-Protocol and FALLS-protocol, Two Applications of Lung Ultrasound in the Critically Ill (Recent Advances in Chest Medicine)","volume":"147","author":"Lichtenstein","year":"2015","journal-title":"Chest"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"371","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rceng.2023.04.009","article-title":"Main Applications of Point-of-care Ultrasound in Palliative Care","volume":"223","author":"Garc\u00eda-Gil","year":"2023","journal-title":"Rev Cl\u00edn Esp (Barc)"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e55573","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.55573","article-title":"Home Ultrasound: A Contemporary and Valuable Tool for Palliative Medicine","volume":"16","author":"Monteiro AC Fran\u00e7a de Santana","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2017.35.31_suppl.254","article-title":"Ultrasound Application in Point of Care by Palliative Medicine Physicians: Initial Experience of Oncology Palliative Medicine Consultation in Two Rural Area Hospitals in Costa Rica","volume":"35","author":"Villalobos","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Clin Oncol"},{"key":"10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025\/ref-18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"847","DOI":"10.1007\/s00520-024-09046-5","article-title":"Point-of-care Ultrasound in Palliative Medicine Residency Programs: Report of a National Survey and Local Workshop","volume":"32","author":"McCarthy","year":"2024","journal-title":"Support Care Cancer"}],"container-title":["Indian Journal of Palliative Care"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/jpalliativecare.com\/palliative-medicine-point-of-care-ultrasound-in-cancer-patients-in-a-specialist-palliative-medicine-outpatient-department-a-retrospective-analysis-of-diagnostic-and-procedural-impact\/","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/jpalliativecare.com\/palliative-medicine-point-of-care-ultrasound-in-cancer-patients-in-a-specialist-palliative-medicine-outpatient-department-a-retrospective-analysis-of-diagnostic-and-procedural-impact\/","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,15]],"date-time":"2025-11-15T05:00:28Z","timestamp":1763182828000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jpalliativecare.com\/palliative-medicine-point-of-care-ultrasound-in-cancer-patients-in-a-specialist-palliative-medicine-outpatient-department-a-retrospective-analysis-of-diagnostic-and-procedural-impact\/"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]]},"references-count":18,"alternative-id":["10.25259\/IJPC_213_2025"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.25259\/ijpc_213_2025","relation":{},"ISSN":["1998-3735","0973-1075"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1998-3735","type":"electronic"},{"value":"0973-1075","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]]},"article-number":"306"}}