About this course

Welcome to this e-learning course on
Ultrasound Assessment of the Stomach (Gastric Ultrasound).

This course provides a focused, clinically relevant introduction to using point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) to evaluate gastric content, assess aspiration risk, and support safe perioperative decision-making.

The course follows the I-AIM framework (Indication, Acquisition, Interpretation, Medical Decision-making), which offers a clear learning pathway from when to use gastric ultrasound, to how to obtain accurate images, interpret findings, and apply them in clinical practice.

Acknowledgement of Sources & Expertise

This course builds on the pioneering work of Anahi Perlas and
Peter van der Putten, whose clinical research and educational efforts have shaped modern gastric ultrasound practice.

We also acknowledge and are grateful for gastricultrasound.org — a free, open-access educational resource that provides guidance on:

• Performing standardized gastric ultrasound examinations
• Identifying the sonographic features of an empty stomach, clear fluid, or solid content
• Measuring gastric fluid volume
• Interpreting findings for aspiration risk assessment

Our educational work in gastric ultrasound builds directly on the methodology and foundational knowledge provided by gastricultrasound.org, whose free, open-access resources have been central to defining current best practice in this field.

Note: Gastricultrasound.org provides reference information only, and clinical decisions must always be based on comprehensive patient assessment, local guidelines, and the full clinical context.

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe stomach anatomy relevant to gastric ultrasound
• Identify clinical indications for gastric PoCUS, including aspiration risk assessment
• Perform image acquisition using correct probe, positioning, and scanning techniques
• Classify gastric content as empty, clear fluid, early solid, or late solid
• Measure the antral cross-sectional area (CSA) and estimate gastric volume
• Apply findings to guide perioperative management and airway planning
• Integrate gastric ultrasound into real-time clinical decision-making using the I-AIM model

You will gain the theoretical and practical foundation needed to begin applying gastric ultrasound meaningfully in your daily clinical practice.