Knowledge of the bio-effects of ultrasound among physicians performing clinical ultrasonography: Results of a survey conducted by the Italian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (SIUMB)

Introduction

Safety issues should always be kept in mind when using diagnostic ultrasound, which is associated with potentially hazardous bio-effects, especially with the introduction of new technologies.

Aim

To assess the level of awareness and knowledge of safety issues related to the clinical use of ultrasound among physician-members of the Italian National Society for Ultrasound.

Materials and methods

A questionnaire with 11 multiple-choice questions was sent to members of the Italian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. The answers were forwarded from the Society''s Secretariat to the investigators, who statistically analyzed the data.

Results

The mean age of the 105 respondents was 44 years. The most frequent kind of ultrasound examinations (in addition to conventional B-mode) were: Doppler (74%), contrast-enhanced US (43%), and pediatric studies (43%). Only 50–60% of the responders knew the correct definitions of the terms thermal index and mechanical index. Almost all respondents understood the bio-effects reflected by the thermal index, but only a minority knew the most likely organ target of bio-effects related to the mechanical index and what do indicate the units in which the thermal index is expressed. The majority knew that fetuses are at higher risk of damage. Few respondents were able to identify the correct safety statements included in the recommendations of the International Ultrasound Societies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the present findings indicate that greater efforts of National Ultrasound Societies are warranted in disseminating knowledge of the bio-effects of diagnostic ultrasound modalities among operators.     

Under-Represented Minorities in Emergency Medicine

Background

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Institute of Medicine, promoting diversity in the health care workforce is a national priority. The under-representation of minorities in health care contributes significantly to the problem of health disparities currently facing racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States (US). Evidence shows that improved diversity among medical providers contributes to higher satisfaction for minority patients and better educational experiences for trainees.

Objective

Our aim was to describe the racial and ethnic composition of medical students, Emergency Medicine residents, and practicing Emergency Medicine Physicians as compared with other specialties and the US population.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of the most recent data available from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the US Census were used to determine the racial and ethnic distribution of the US population, medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. The Association of American Medical Colleges' definition of under-represented minorities (URMs) for the years studied included individuals of black, Latino, and Native-American race and ethnicity. Proportions with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. χ² analysis was used to compare groups.

Results

URMs comprised 30% of the total US population, yet only 6% of all practicing physicians and 9% of Emergency Physicians self-identified as URMs. By comparison, 15% of medical students, 17% of all residents, and 14% of Emergency Medicine residents were URMs (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Emergency Medicine, like other specialties, lacks the racial and ethnic diversity seen in the US population. Efforts to improve diversity at the resident level are limited by the number of URM students in medical school, and should include steps aimed at addressing this issue.     

Emergency care capacity in Freetown,Sierra Leone: a service evaluation

Background

There is an increasing global recognition of the role of emergency medical services in improving population health. Emergency medical services remain underdeveloped in many low income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. There have been no previous evaluations of specialist emergency and critical care services in Sierra Leone.

Methods

Emergency care capacity was evaluated at a sample of seven public and private hospitals in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. A structured set of minimum standards necessary to deliver emergency and critical care in the low-income setting was used to evaluate capacity. The key dimensions of capacity evaluated were infrastructure, human resources, drug and equipment availability, training, systems, guidelines and diagnostics. A score for each dimension of capacity was calculated based on the availability of a list of specified indicators within each dimension. In addition, an Emergency Care Capacity Score was calculated to demonstrate a composite measure of capacity based on the various indicator scores. This method has been used by the World Health Organisation in evaluating the availability and readiness of healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries.

Results

Substantial deficiencies in capacity were demonstrated across the range of indicators and predominantly affecting publically funded facilities. Capacity was weakest in the domain of infrastructure, with an average score of 43%, while the strongest areas of capacity overall were in drug availability, 82%, and human resources, 79%. A marked disparity was noted between public and private healthcare facilities with consistently lower capacity in the former. The overall Emergency Care Capacity Score was 66%.

Conclusion

There are substantial deficiencies in emergency care systems in public hospitals in Freetown which are likely to compromise effective care. This represents a serious barrier to access to emergency healthcare. Emergency care systems have an important role in improving population health and as such should a priority for local policy makers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12873-015-0027-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Bedside US imaging in multiple trauma patients. Part 1: US findings and techniques

Objectives

The aim of this review article is to present the current views and visions of the role of ultrasound (US) in the management of patients with multiple trauma. The article is divided into two parts. Part 1 (US findings and techniques) will mainly deal with the technical aspects of US imaging in trauma patients and is written also for educational purposes. Part 2 (pathophysiology and US imaging in trauma patients) will deal with integration of US in the clinical and pathophysiological management of multiple trauma patients.

Methods

A non-systematic review of the literature through PubMed search (restricted to the last 10 years) of original articles and review articles.

Results

80 publications were selected for Part 1. Of these 80 articles, the author selected 50 according to personal criteria on the basis of their innovative or original contents (48 original articles and 2 literature review articles); 19 articles were furthermore extracted from the references of the selected publications. The information extracted from these 69 publications was organized into sections dealing with different fields of applications of US imaging in multiple trauma patients.

Conclusions

US imaging in trauma has evolved from the initial use, i.e., early diagnosis of peritoneal effusion (focused abdominal sonography for trauma), to a wider use known as resuscitative ultrasonography, and is today considered as an extension of physical examination to implement a more effective approach to clinical problems and increase the timeliness and safety of interventions.     

Joint effusion of the knee: potentialities and limitations of ultrasonography

Purpose

This study aimed at comparing the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of joint effusion of the knee.

Methods

For this retrospective study, approbation by the institutional review board was not required, and written informed consent from the patients was waived. One hundred and fifty-eight patients (83 men and 75 women; median age 41.2 years; age range 13–81 years) who underwent US and MRI of the knee were included in the study. The sensitivity and specificity of US with respect to MRI in the evaluation of the effusion of the knee and in each recess were compared.

Results

In evaluating joint effusion of the knee, compared with MRI, US correctly identified 78 of 96 patients with joint effusion, showing a sensitivity of 81.3 % and a specificity of 100 %, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 100 % and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 77.5 % (p value = 0.001). Various results were obtained comparing ultrasound with MRI, regarding the various recesses.

Conclusion

US showed high specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing knee joint effusion and could be used in patients who cannot undergo MRI.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s40477-015-0180-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Components of the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine: A Survey of American Board of Emergency Medicine Diplomates

Background

The Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine is the basis for the content specifications of all American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) examinations. This study describes the frequency with which ABEM diplomates diagnose and manage the conditions and components listed in the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency with which ABEM diplomates diagnose and manage the conditions and components described in the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine.

Methods

The listing of conditions and components of the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine were sent to 16,230 randomly selected ABEM diplomates. One of five surveys was sent to each diplomate. Each condition and component was assessed by participants for the frequency that emergency physicians diagnose (D) and manage (M) that condition, as seen in their practice of Emergency Medicine.

Results

Of the 16,230 surveys sent, 5006 were returned (30.8% response rate). The genders of the respondents were 75% male and 24% female. The ages of the respondents were primarily in the age 40–49 years, and 30–39 years age groups. All categories of the listing of conditions and components of the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine were encountered frequently in the practice of Emergency Medicine, as indicated by study participants.

Conclusions

A survey of practicing ABEM diplomates was useful in defining the frequency with which specific conditions and components are diagnosed and managed in the practice of Emergency Medicine.     

How accurate are the references in Emergency Medical Journal?

Objective

To determine the accuracy of references in Emergency Medicine Journal during 2003.

Materials and methods

All references cited in Emergency Medicine Journal during 2003 were examined carefully, and the accuracy of the citations was checked against reliable electronic and manual resources. References were categorised as correct or incorrect. The errors were classified as minor if the integrity of the reference was not greatly compromised and major if the error severely detracted from the quality of the reference.

Results

Overall, errors were found in 19% of all citations checked (n = 2561), and in 8% the errors were major and markedly detracted from the quality of the reference.

Conclusions

Citation errors reflect badly on authors and the publishing journal and may reflect underlying flaws in other areas of the research published. It is hoped that identification of this problem will lead to attempts to improve the accuracy of reference citation in the emergency medicine literature and to an improvement in the credibility of research in our specialty.     

The potential contributions of traditional Chinese medicine to emergency medicine

BACKGROUND:

Despite the fact that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been developed and used to treat acute and urgent illness for many thousands of years. TCM has been widely perceived in western societies that TCM may only be effective to treat chronic diseases. The aim of this article is to provide some scientific evidence regarding the application of TCM in emergency medicine and its future potential.

METHODS:

Multiple databases (PubMed, ProQuest, Academic Search Elite and Science Direct) were searched using the terms: Traditional Chinese Medicine/ Chinese Medicine, Emergency Medicine, China. In addition, three leading TCM Journals in China were searched via Oriprobe Information Services for relevant articles (published from 1990—2012). Particular attention was paid to those articles that are related to TCM treatments or combined medicine in dealing with intensive and critical care.

RESULTS:

TCM is a systematic traditional macro medicine. The clinical practice of TCM is guided by the TCM theoretical framework – a methodology founded thousands of years ago. As the methodologies between TCM and Biomedicine are significantly different, it provides an opportunity to combine two medicines, in order to achieve clinical efficacy. Nowadays, combined medicine has become a common clinical model particular in TCM hospitals in China.

CONCLUSIONS:

It is evident that TCM can provide some assistance in emergency although to combine them in practice is still its infant form and is mainly at TCM hospitals in China. The future effort could be put into TCM research, both in laboratories and clinics, with high quality designs, so that TCM could be better understood and then applied in emergency medicine.KEY WORDS: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Emergency medicine     

Diagnostic accuracy of emergency physician performed graded compression ultrasound study in acute appendicitis: a prospective study

Purpose

Accurate early diagnosis of appendicitis can decrease its complications and minimize the mortality, morbidity and costs. This prospective study evaluates the accuracy of bedside emergency physician performed ultrasound study diagnosis in acute appendicitis.

Methods

Patients who were suspicious to have appendicitis based on their clinical findings were included and underwent emergency physician performed ultrasound study. Then they were followed up until the recognition of final diagnosis based on pathology report or identification of an alternative diagnosis. Ultrasound studies were done by post-graduate year three emergency medicine residents or emergency medicine attending physicians who were attended in a 4 h didactic and practical course and with 7.5 MHz linear probe both in longitudinal and axial axes.

Results

Ninety-seven patients were included and analyzed. 27 (27.8 %) of patients had appendicitis according to the results of emergency physicians performed ultrasound studies. 19 (70.37 %) of them had appendicitis according to their pathologic reports too. Forty-three (44.3 %) of patients had appendicitis according to pathology reports. Only 19 (44.18 %) of them were diagnosed by emergency physicians. Emergency physician performed ultrasound study had a sensitivity of 44.18 %, specificity of 85.18 %, positive predictive value of 70.37 %, negative predictive value of 65.71 % and overall accuracy of 67.01 % in diagnosing appendicitis in patients clinically suspicious to have acute appendicitis.

Conclusion

Emergency physician performed bedside ultrasound has an acceptable overall accuracy but its sensitivity is low thus it can help emergency physicians to diagnose the acute appendicitis when used in conjunction with other clinical and para-clinical evaluations but not per se.     

Practice patterns of graduates of a CCFP(EM) residency program: A survey

Objective

To determine the practice settings of graduates of a residency program that leads to a Certificate of Special Competence in Emergency Medicine (CCFP[EM]).

Design

Web-based survey using standard Dillman methodology.

Setting

Canada.

Participants

All graduates of the CCFP(EM) residency training program at the University of Toronto (U of T) in Ontario between 1982 and 2009.

Main outcome measures

Practice type and location, job satisfaction, and nonclinical EM activities of graduates of a CCFP(EM) residency program.

Results

Of 146 graduates surveyed, 88 responded (response rate of 60.3%). All of the respondents indicated that they had practised EM at some point after completing the CCFP(EM) program at U of T. At survey completion, 76.7% were practising EM. Of the EM-practising cohort, 93.9% worked in urban or suburban hospitals as opposed to rural settings. Those practising EM expressed high levels of job satisfaction, with 83.3% reporting a score of 8 or higher on a 10-point satisfaction scale. Most (57.0%) of the graduates of the CCFP(EM) residency program at U of T had participated in leadership activities in EM on local, provincial, or national levels.

Conclusion

Most graduates of the CCFP(EM) residency program continue to practise EM, and most of them practise in urban and suburban environments. The low attrition rate of CCFP(EM) graduates should be regarded as a success of the CCFP(EM) program, and the geographic distribution of all physicians, including EM providers, warrants further study to help plan future physician resources in Canada.     

Ultrasound in the evaluation of interstitial pneumonia

Background

The diagnostic value of thoracic ultrasonography (US) has recently increased. Skilled sonographers with experience in pulmonary medicine have demonstrated the existence of US signs of chest pathology.

Purpose

To detect US findings associated with infectious interstitial pneumonia that can be used to supplement other diagnostic tools.

Materials and methods

Over a period of 5 years (2001–2006), 55 patients were referred to our ultrasonography units for evaluation of probable viral or viral-like infections of the respiratory tract. Each patient was subjected to a work-up that included clinical examination, blood tests, pulmonary function tests, bronchoscopy, chest radiographs, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and thoracic US, which was performed under blinded conditions.

Results

Based on the findings that emerged from the work-up described above, all 55 patients were diagnosed with interstitial pneumonia. Evaluation of the US scans for the signs of interstitial lung disease described by Lichtenstein revealed “comet-tail” artifacts in the anterolateral lung fields in 31 (56.36%) patients and mixed patterns consisting in increased density associated with ring-down artifacts in 24 (46.64%). Pleural involvement was also observed in 34 cases (61.82%).

Conclusions

Thoracic US appears to be a useful adjunct to clinical, laboratory and radiological studies in patients suspected of having infectious interstitial pneumonia.     

The role of ultrasonography in the assessment of peri-prosthetic hip complications

Purpose

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a widespread option for treating hip osteoarthritis. Peri-prosthetic complications after THA represent a common event influencing patient outcome and costs. The purpose of this paper is to report the use of ultrasonography (US) to detect peri-prosthetic complications in symptomatic patients who underwent THA.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with THA who underwent imaging evaluation between January 2009 and December 2012 at two different institutions. We evaluated the presence/absence of superficial and/or deep peri-prosthetic collections as well as the presence/absence of a cutaneous sinus tract. For patients who underwent both MRI and US, a concordance correlation analysis between US and MR findings was performed.

Results

In the reference period, 532 symptomatic patients (mean age ± standard deviation 74 ± 12 years) underwent X-ray and MRI examinations for suspected peri-prosthetic complications. Among them, 111 (20.9 %) underwent also US. Overall, 108 patients underwent both US and MRI. US findings included 67 superficial collections, 48 subcutaneous fistulas, 74 deep peri-prosthetic collections. Twenty-four patients had solid, mass-like peri-prosthetic collections. In 11 patients, no peri-prosthetic complications were seen. MRI findings included 68 superficial collections, 49 subcutaneous fistulas, 79 deep peri-prosthetic collections. Twenty-four patients had solid, mass-like peri-prosthetic collections. In four patients, no peri-prosthetic complications were seen. Concordance analysis between US and MRI findings showed almost perfect agreement (k ≥ 0.89).

Conclusion

US is an efficient and practical imaging modality to evaluate peri-prosthetic complications in patients with THA, being almost comparable to MRI in detecting and characterizing these complications.     

EFFECTIVENESS OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSING CHRONIC LATERAL ANKLE INSTABILITY:A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a condition that often develops after repeated ankle sprains, increasing the suceptability of the ankle to move into excessive inversion when walking on unstable surfaces. Treatment for CAI costs approximately three billion health care dollars annually. Currently, common diagnostic tools used to identify ankle instability are arthroscopy, imaging, manual laxity testing, and self-reported questionnaires.

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the effectiveness of ultrasonography in diagnosing CAI, in comparison with other diagnostic tools.

Methods

Search limits: articles published between the years 2000-2015, and articles that were peer reviewed and published in the English language. Databases searched: CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Medline Plus, Science Direct, OVID, Cochrane, and EBSCO. Titles and abstracts of the 1,420 articles were screened for the inclusion criteria by two independent raters, with discrepancies solved by a third rater. The modified 14-point Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) scale was used to assess methodological quality of included articles.

Results

Six high quality articles were included in this systematic review, as indicated by high scores on the QUADAS scale, ranging from 10 to 13. Sensitivity of US ranged from: 84.6 % -100%, specificity of US ranged from: 90.9% − 100% and accuracy ranged from: 87% − 90.9%.

Discussion

The results of the included studies suggest that US is able to accurately differentiate between the grades of ankle sprains and between a lax ligament, torn ligament, thick ligament, absorbed ligament and a non-union avulsion fracture. These findings indicate that US is a reliable method for diagnosing CAI, and that US is able to classify the degree of instability.

Conclusion

Researchers found that US is effective, reliable, and accurate in the diagnosis of CAI.

Clinical Implications

US would allow for earlier diagnosis, which could increase the quality of care as well as decrease the number of outpatient visits. This could lead to improvement in treatment plans, goals and rehabilitation outcomes.

level of Evidence

1a     

Sonographic evaluation of the temporomandibular joints in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Introduction

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) may cause damage to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). In oligoarticular forms of JIA, TMJ involvement is often asymptomatic and consequently overlooked. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of TMJ joint effusion (JE) by ultrasonography (US) in patients with early arthritis.

Materials and methods

We examined 68 children (57 girls, 11 boys, age range 9.1–16.0 years, mean age 11.0 years) recently diagnosed with JIA. None had received any specific treatment for inflammation. Symptomatic TMJ involvement was diagnosed when one or more of the following were present: 1) recurrent pain (spontaneous or on movement of the jaw); 2) crepitation; 3) feeling of stiffness or fatigue of the jaw; 4) intermittent locking. US of the TMJ was performed in static and dynamic phases with a General Electric LOGIQ7 scanner and a linear transducer (8.5 MHz) positioned along the axis of the mandibular ramus. JE was diagnosed when the joint capsule was ≥1.5 mm thick.

Results

Forty-six out (68%) of 68 children had US evidence of TMJ effusions (bilateral in 16 [35%] cases), but only 2/46 were symptomatic.

Conclusions

These data suggest that children with early stage oligoarticular JIA children are likely to have inflammation of the TMJs even in the absence of symptoms. US is a simple-to-use, noninvasive, radiation-free tool that can provide useful information in the assessment and follow-up of TMJ involvement in children and young adults with JIA.     

An overview of emergency ultrasound in the United States

BACKGROUND:

As emergency ultrasound use explodes around the world, it is important to realize the path its development has taken and learn from trials and tribulations of early practitioners in the field.

METHODS:

Approaches to education, scanning, documentation, and organization are also described.

RESULTS:

Machines have reduced in price and once purchased further material costs are low. Staffing costs in terms of training, etc have yet to be assessed, but indications from elsewhere are that these are low. Length of stay in the emergency department dramatically decreases, thus increasing patient satisfaction while maintaining an even higher standard of care.

CONCLUSION:

Emergency screening ultrasound is now a nationally accepted tool for the rapid assessment of the emergency patient.KEY WORDS: Emergency ultrasound, United States     

Knee bursitis: a sonographic evaluation

Objective

To evaluate the use of ultrasound for the diagnosis of knee bursitis.

Materials and methods

One-hundred and fifty-eight patients who, from May 2013 to May 2014, had an ultrasound examination of the knee and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee during the following month were eligible for the study. The exams were reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists with 20 years of experience.

Results

Of these patients, 15 (7 men, 8 women) had bursitis, while 143 (76 men, 67 women) had no bursitis. In evaluating knee bursitis, US, when compared to MRI, correctly identified 13 out of 15 cases of bursitis, showing a sensitivity of 86.67 %, specificity 100 %, and K index of 0.92. Particularly in the suprapatellar bursa, ultrasound showed bursitis in 5 cases versus 7 by MRI (sensitivity of 71.4 %, specificity of 100 %, and K index of 0.82).

Conclusion

Ultrasound can be used as a valuable tool for the evaluation of bursitis of the superficial bursae in patients who cannot undergo MRI.