What ultrasound protocol is used to rapidly diagnose thoracoabdominal injuries at the bedside in trauma patients?

• A. E-FAST
• B. FAST
• C. AFAST
• D. TFAST

Answer: (A)

The extended FAST exam is used because in trauma you need to quickly rule in or rule out life-threatening injuries across the chest and abdomen at the bedside. It adds chest views to the standard FAST so you can detect pneumothorax, pleural effusion, along with pericardial effusion and intraperitoneal free fluid. This combination lets clinicians rapidly assess thoracoabdominal injuries during resuscitation, guiding immediate interventions without radiation exposure. A regular FAST focuses on abdominal and pericardial spaces and would miss chest injuries, while a thoracic-focused exam alone wouldn’t adequately evaluate the abdomen. The extended protocol provides the quickest, most comprehensive bedside assessment for trauma patients.