🩺 FAST Exam (Trauma Ultrasound Checklist)
UseWhen to use: trauma primary survey when bedside ultrasound is available to screen for hemorrhage/effusion.
StrataPositive FAST supports urgent hemorrhage pathways. Negative FAST does not exclude all injury.
LimitsWhen not to use: as the sole reason to skip CT in a stable patient wh… · Pitfall: calling FAST negative without adequate windows. · Operator skill and body habitus affect sensitivity.
SourceRozycki / ATLS FAST teaching literature
This-shift next steps
After scoring: open the scene pack, peer scores, and the matching pathway. Local reference — no HIS write.
Paste the link in Slack, Teams, X, or LinkedIn — the preview image comes from this page’s Open Graph card.
Methodology · worked example, guidelines & full notes
Checklist of standard views.
When to use
When to use: trauma primary survey when bedside ultrasound is available to screen for hemorrhage/effusion.
How it works
Views: RUQ (Morison), LUQ (perisplenic), pelvis, pericardium ± bilateral pleural (eFAST). Any fluid = positive.
Key points
- Checklist of standard views.
- Any positive = actionable.
- Next: ATLS / eFAST / CT trauma.
References
- Rozycki / ATLS FAST teaching literature
- eFAST extension for pneumo/hemothorax screening
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Right upper quadrant (Morison / perihepatic) — free fluid | Negative (0) |
|---|---|
| Left upper quadrant (perisplenic) — free fluid | Negative (0) |
| Pelvis (pouch of Douglas / rectovesical) — free fluid | Negative (0) |
| Subxiphoid / parasternal — pericardial effusion | Negative (0) |
| eFAST: Right pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) | Negative / not done (0) |
| eFAST: Left pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) | Negative / not done (0) |
→FASTAll views negative
- Positive regions：0
- eFAST pleural+：0
| Right upper quadrant (Morison / perihepatic) — free fluid | Positive |
|---|---|
| Left upper quadrant (perisplenic) — free fluid | Positive |
| Pelvis (pouch of Douglas / rectovesical) — free fluid | Positive |
| Subxiphoid / parasternal — pericardial effusion | Positive |
| eFAST: Right pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) | Positive |
| eFAST: Left pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) | Positive |
→FASTPOSITIVE — abdominal free fluid + pericardial effusion + pleural finding
- Positive regions：6
- Abdominal+：3
- Pericardial+：Yes
Verification & sources · governance
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Does FAST Exam (Trauma Ultrasound Checklist) upload patient data? Where is it calculated?
- Calculation runs locally in the browser; inputs and results are not uploaded. For licensed clinicians only; interpret with history, investigations and local protocols — not a diagnosis or prescription.
- How is FAST Exam (Trauma Ultrasound Checklist) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Right upper quadrant (Morison / perihepatic) — free fluid Negative (0), Left upper quadrant (perisplenic) — free fluid Negative (0), Pelvis (pouch of Douglas / rectovesical) — free fluid Negative (0), Subxiphoid / parasternal — pericardial effusion Negative (0), eFAST: Right pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) Negative / not done (0), eFAST: Left pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) Negative / not done (0) → Result: FAST All views negative（Positive regions: 0, eFAST pleural+: 0） Inputs: Right upper quadrant (Morison / perihepatic) — free fluid Positive, Left upper quadrant (perisplenic) — free fluid Positive, Pelvis (pouch of Douglas / rectovesical) — free fluid Positive, Subxiphoid / parasternal — pericardial effusion Positive, eFAST: Right pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) Positive, eFAST: Left pleural (lung slide / hemothorax view) Positive → Result: FAST POSITIVE — abdominal free fluid + pericardial effusion + pleural finding（Positive regions: 6, Abdominal+: 3, Pericardial+: Yes）