Ultrasound in medical education

PURPOSE: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a sensitive, safe, and efficient tool used in many clinical settings and is an essential part of medical education in the United States. Numerous studies present improved diagnostic performances and positive clinical outcomes among POCUS users. However, others stress the degree to which the modality is user-dependent, rendering high-quality POCUS training necessary in medical education. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the potential of an artificial intelligence (AI) based quality indicator tool as a teaching device for cardiac POCUS performance...

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been a marked growth in the use of ionizing radiation in medical imaging for both diagnosis and therapy, which in turn has led to increased radiation exposure among healthcare workers. AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of safety compliance awareness among healthcare workers exposed to ionizing radiation. RESEARCH DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this investigation...

OBJECTIVES: The growth in ultrasound usage necessitates concurrent growth in the number of sonographers. Despite the increasing importance of ultrasound, there is a shortage of sonographers in the United States that has never been specifically quantified. This study examines recent trends in the number of ultrasound exams, sonography graduates, open sonographer positions, and wages. METHODS: This retrospective study uses public databases and surveys including the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and Zippia, a human resources platform to determine metrics...

CONTEXT: Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has become an important tool in the clinical practice of many specialties, but its use and impact in General Practice in France remains to be explored. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to obtain a consensus among experienced French general practitioners on a list of relevant POCUS skills in General Practice in 4 anatomical regions. METHOD: We used a two-round Delphi method to obtain a consensus...

BACKGROUND: Medical students' transition to internship has a discernible gap in structured preparation, particularly in practical skill application. We introduced the internship preparatory clinical course (IPCC) to address this gap.  Methods: The course was conducted at the clinical skills and simulation center at King Saud University Medical City and included a total of eight skills distributed across four stations. It employs a timed-station methodology, inspired by the Observed Structured Clinical Examination, but innovatively adapted as a teaching method...

With the widespread application of ultrasound-guided Sedinger puncture techniques and intracardiac electrocardiogram positioning technology, implantable intravenous drug delivery device (IVAP) in the upper arm has been recognized by the majority of medical personnel and cancer patients due to its advantages of hiding scars and completely avoiding the risk of hemothorax and pneumothorax. In order to standardize the clinical application of IVAP via the upper arm approach in cancer patients, improve the success rate of implantation, reduce complications and improve patient satisfaction, the Breast Cancer Expert Committee of the National Cancer Quality Control Center consulted guidelines and the latest evidence-based evidences and established the expert consensus on the whole-course management of implantable venous access port in the upper arm of cancer patients, in order to provide reference for the standard application of IVAP in the upper arm...

This technical report focuses on developing a do-it-yourself (DIY) model of a water phantom for training in ultrasound-guided needle insertion techniques. Ultrasound technology is becoming more widely used in perioperative and intensive care settings. However, accurate needle placement using ultrasound guidance necessitates strong spatial reasoning and hand-eye coordination. To address this, the authors experimented with a water phantom model that is cost-effective, easily accessible, and efficient for training...

Simulation-based training (SBT) is increasingly acknowledged worldwide and has become a popular tool for ultrasound education. Ultrasound simulation involves the use of technology and software to create a virtual training setting. Simulation-based training allows healthcare professionals to learn, practice, and improve their ultrasound imaging skills in a safe learning-based environment. SBT can provide a realistic and focused learning experience that creates a deep and immersive understanding of the complexity of ultrasound, including enhancing knowledge and confidence in specific areas of interest...

OBJECTIVE: The gold standard of oral cancer (OC) treatment is diagnostic confirmation by biopsy followed by surgical treatment. However, studies have shown that dentists have difficulty performing biopsies, dental students lack knowledge about OC, and surgeons do not always maintain a safe margin during tumor resection. To address this, biopsies and resections could be trained under realistic conditions outside the patient. The aim of this study was to develop and to validate a porcine pseudotumor model of the tongue...

STUDY QUESTION: What is the impact of the presence of uterine fibroids on the risk of developing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) in a predominantly urban, low-income, Black, and Hispanic population of women with ultrasound or clinically diagnosed uterine fibroids with rich phenotypic data to carefully control for potential confounders? SUMMARY ANSWERS: The odds of HDP were 39% higher in women with uterine fibroids compared to those without when controlled for age at delivery, race, prepregnancy BMI, education, parity, and smoking status; neither fibroid location or size modified this risk...

As an extension of the clinical examination and as a diagnostic and problem-solving tool, ultrasound has become an established technique for clinicians. A prerequisite for high-quality clinical ultrasound practice is adequate student ultrasound training. In light of the considerable heterogeneity of ultrasound curricula in medical studies worldwide, this review presents basic principles of modern medical student ultrasound education and advocates for the establishment of an ultrasound core curriculum embedded both horizontally and vertically in medical studies...

OBJECTIVE: Mentoring and coaching practices have supported the career and skill development of healthcare professionals (HCPs); however, their role in digital technology adoption and implementation for HCPs is unknown. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize information on healthcare education programs that have integrated mentoring or coaching as a key component. METHODS: The search strategy and keyword searches were developed by the project team and a research librarian...

Purpose  To provide an overview on education, training, practice requirements, and fields of application of neurosonology in Europe and beyond. Materials and Methods  National representatives and experts in neurosonology were surveyed regarding neurosonology requirements and practice in their countries. Descriptive statistics were used to report the data. Results  Between February 1 and March 31, 2023, 42/46 (91.3%) national representatives responded to our questionnaire and the completion rate was 100%...

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Wilson disease (WD) is a rare genetic disorder with a wide range of clinical manifestations, including hepatic, neurologic, and psychiatric symptoms. To date, there have been five cases (including our case) representing optic neuropathy caused by WD. CASE PRESENTATION: A 15-year-old female presented to the emergency department with neurological symptoms. The patient exhibited confusion but maintained stable vital signs, and physical examinations were all normal...

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Cecal foreign bodies are uncommon causes of acute abdomen, and their presentation can often mimic acute appendicitis (AA), making it challenging to diagnose. The authors present the case of a 12-year-old male from Ethiopia who initially presented with symptoms suggestive of AA. However, during surgery, the authors found a multiple magnetic fields result in perforation. This case highlights the importance of considering unusual etiologies. CASE PRESENTATION: A 12-year-old boy with AA associated with anorexia, nausea, and low-grade fever was referred from a private clinic...

Congenital hypothyroidism is the deficiency of thyroid hormone in infants and hyperprolactinemia is frequently observed. Previously reported cases typically involve intellectual disability, highlighting this particular unique case report to the first reported patient demonstrating normal intellectual ability despite experiencing growth and gonad dysfunction. This study aims to present a case and review medical hypotheses related to the patient's condition. A 19-year-old female presented with a chief complaint of irregular menstruation for up to 40 days or not occurring at all...

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether remote assistance is beneficial to the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examinations during equine emergency evaluations. ANIMALS: Adult horses presenting to a tertiary care large animal emergency service for respiratory or gastrointestinal clinical signs. PROCEDURES: Prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical study. Cases were assigned to receive POCUS with remote assistance ("POCUS-R" group) or POCUS with no assistance ("POCUS" group)...

BACKGROUND: Although many studies on the association between dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) exist in older adults, data on the association among adolescents and young adults living with disproportionate burden of cardiometabolic disorders are scarce. METHODS AND RESULTS: The SHFS (Strong Heart Family Study) is a multicenter, family-based, prospective cohort study of CVD in an American Indian populations, including 12 communities in central Arizona, southwestern Oklahoma, and the Dakotas...

Mediastinal masses present a diagnostic challenge due to their similar imaging characteristics, making distinguishing between noninfectious and infectious processes or malignancies difficult. A mediastinal abscess can result in severe life-threatening infections if left untreated. Traditional treatment approaches involve surgical debridement and drainage; however, emerging endobronchial techniques, such as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), offer a less-invasive means of diagnosing and managing abscesses...

BACKGROUND: Incorporating ultrasound into the clinical curriculum of undergraduate medical education has been limited by a need for faculty support. Without integration into the clinical learning environment, ultrasound skills become a stand-alone skill and may decline by the time of matriculation into residency. A less time intensive ultrasound curriculum is needed to preserve skills acquired in preclinical years. We aimed to create a self-directed ultrasound curriculum to support and assess students' ability to acquire ultrasound images and to utilize ultrasound to inform clinical decision-making...