{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T14:07:18Z","timestamp":1789999638184,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789603200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Abdominal pain is a common presentation in the emergency department (ED). Ultrasound is the first-line diagnostic imaging modality for right upper quadrant pain. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a focused examination that can be performed at the patient\u2019s bedside to evaluate acute and emergent biliary pathology. The advantages of POCUS include avoiding the potential safety risks associated with transporting critically ill patients, no exposure to ionizing radiation, potentially reduced costs, and rapid diagnosis. This narrative review synthesizes key sonographic findings and techniques for emergent and non-emergent biliary diseases that physicians should recognize at first glance. We present significant and interesting images of cholelithiasis, acute cholecystitis, emphysematous gallbladder, choledocholithiasis or sludge, Mirizzi syndrome, post-operative biliary obstruction, gallbladder polyps, biliary neoplasms, and malignant-appearing lesions or masses. Finally, this review integrates POCUS into clinical pathways to guide decisions regarding additional abdominal imaging, such as computed tomography or radiology-performed ultrasound, and surgical consultation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics16183023","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T12:50:03Z","timestamp":1789995003000},"page":"3023","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Acute Emergent Biliary Pathologies Identified Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Sahana","family":"Ummadi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tallia Pearson","family":"Kroeger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0658-708X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anil","family":"Prasad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-6639-6274","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cooper","family":"Stinson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9376-9317","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrew G.","family":"Theophanous","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, University of Toledo, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo, OH 43614, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5460-7252","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nina","family":"Angeles","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-7727-7948","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Denise","family":"Elizondo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0697-3703","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rebecca G.","family":"Theophanous","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27703, USA"},{"name":"Durham Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, 508 Fulton St, Durham, NC 27710, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"703","DOI":"10.1016\/j.emc.2021.07.005","article-title":"Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department: Missed Diagnoses","volume":"39","author":"McCoin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Emerg. 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