The object of this report was to address the following research questions:
1a. What is the evidence of effectiveness (improved technical outcomes, improved clinical decision making, improved patient-relevant outcomes, and reduced harm) when non-radiologists use portable ultrasound (pU/S) devices for assessing abdominal trauma, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and ectopic pregnancy?
1b. What is the evidence regarding the effect of diagnostic accuracy on the effectiveness of these interventions?
1c. What is the evidence regarding the effect of user-dependent variables on the effectiveness of the intervention, specifically for the user (general practitioners, emergency physicians (EPs), and other nonradiologists), the type of training, the length of training, and previous experience in emergency U/S examinations?
2a. What guidelines exist regarding the use of these devices for the indications?
2b. What is the level of evidence supporting these guidelines?
2c. Are the recommendations in the guidelines consistent with the evidence?
3. What are the ethical and legal implications of using and reporting information from pU/S and other ultrasound imaging technologies?