As emergency medicine providers become more proficient in using bedside ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool, it can be difficult to remember all of the normal cutoff values. Is it 3 or 5 mm as the cutoff? Thanks to the team at UCSF (Dr. Maria Beylin, Dr. Scott Fischette, and Dr. Nate Teismann) for creating a succinct PV card listing the key numbers to remember. You can download this PV card into your mobile device as a reference guide, or you can even print and attach to each of your ultrasound machines!

PV Card: Normal Values for Ultrasound Measurements



Adapted from 1–4

Go to the ALiEM Cards site for more resources.

1. Ultrasound Q. 2010;26(2):67-74. PubMed] Horrow M. Ultrasound of the extrahepatic bile duct: issues of size.. 2010;26(2):67-74. 2. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2013;26(9):1033-1042. PubMed] Beigel R, Cercek B, Luo H, Siegel R. Noninvasive evaluation of right atrial pressure.. 2013;26(9):1033-1042. 3. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(15):1443-1451. PubMed] Doubilet P, Benson C, Bourne T, et al. Diagnostic criteria for nonviable pregnancy early in the first trimester.. 2013;369(15):1443-1451. 4. Ann Emerg Med. 2015;66(3):262-266. PubMed] Adhikari S, Zeger W, Thom C, Fields J. Isolated Deep Venous Thrombosis: Implications for 2-Point Compression Ultrasonography of the Lower Extremity.. 2015;66(3):262-266.