Introduction to Gastric Ultrasound

This introductory resource offers a foundational approach to gastric ultrasound for the assessment of prandial (NPO) status. During our academic visit and the subsequent publication featured in Anesthesiology News, we demonstrated a remarkable increase in diagnostic accuracy among a large cohort of student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs)—from an initial 30% recognition rate to 96% accuracy in identifying a full stomach, all within a single one-hour instructional session.

The original presentation slides used in that study are provided here in PDF format for your review. They serve as a practical and evidence-based guide to incorporating gastric ultrasound into your clinical workflow. This tool enables more informed anesthesia decision-making, strengthens communication with surgical and procedural colleagues, and—most importantly—enhances patient safety.

This material is offered at no cost and is intended as a starting point. We strongly encourage ongoing education and emphasize that this resource should not be used as a sole reference.