Best Practices for Point of Care Ultrasound: An Interdisciplinary Expert Consensus.

Despite the growing use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in contemporary medical practice and the existence of clinical guidelines addressing its specific applications, there remains a lack of standardization and agreement on optimal practices for several areas of POCUS use. The Society of Point of Care Ultrasound (SPOCUS) formed a working group in 2022 to establish a set of recommended best practices for POCUS, applicable to clinicians regardless of their training, specialty, resource setting, or scope of practice. Using a three-round modified Delphi process, a multi-disciplinary panel of 22 POCUS experts based in the United States reached consensus on 57 statements in domains including: (1) The definition and clinical role of POCUS; (2) Training pathways; (3) Credentialing; (4) Cleaning and maintenance of POCUS devices; (5) Consent and education; (6) Security, storage, and sharing of POCUS studies; (7) Uploading, archiving, and reviewing POCUS studies; and (8) Documenting POCUS studies. The consensus statements are provided here. While not intended to establish a standard of care or supersede more targeted guidelines, this document may serve as a useful baseline to guide clinicians, leaders, and systems considering initiation or enhancement of POCUS programs.

Prevalence of Abnormal Ultrasonographic Findings in Asymptomatic Peroneal Tendons.

Background: The peroneus longus (PL) and peroneus brevis (PB) tendons comprise the lateral compartment of the leg and stabilize the foot during weightbearing. Peroneal tendinopathy can precipitate lateral ankle pain and induce functional disability. The progression of peroneal pathology to lateral ankle dysfunction is thought to stem from asymptomatic, subclinical peroneal tendinopathy. There may be clinical benefit to identifying asymptomatic patients with this condition before progression to disability. Various ultrasonographic characteristics have been observed in peroneal tendinopathy. The purpose of this study is to identify the frequency of subclinical tendinopathic characteristics in asymptomatic peroneal tendons. Methods: One hundred seventy participants underwent bilateral foot and ankle ultrasonographic examination. Images were assessed for abnormalities of the PL and PB tendons by a group of physicians who recorded frequencies of abnormalities. This team consisted of an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle surgery, a fifth-year orthopaedic surgery resident, and a family medicine physician with musculoskeletal sonographer certification. Results: A total of 340 PL and 340 PB tendons were assessed. Sixty-eight (20%) PL and 41 (12.1%) PB tendons had abnormal traits. Twenty-four PLs and 22 PBs had circumferential fluid, 16 PLs and 9 PBs had noncircumferential fluid, 27 PLs and 6 PBs had thickening, 36 PLs and 12 PBs had heterogenicity, 10 PLs and 2 PBs had hyperemia, and 1 PL had calcification. In Caucasian participants, male gender was associated with increased frequency of abnormal findings, but there were no other significant differences based on age, body mass index, or ethnicity. Conclusion: In our studied population of 170 patients who had no complaints of associated symptoms, we found that 20% of PLs and 12% of PBs displayed ultrasonographic abnormalities. When we included all unusual findings within and around the tendons, prevalence rates of ultrasonographic abnormalities were 34% for PLs and 22% for PBs. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective cohort study.

International consensus conference recommendations on ultrasound education for undergraduate medical students.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to provide expert consensus recommendations to establish a global ultrasound curriculum for undergraduate medical students. METHODS: 64 multi-disciplinary ultrasound experts from 16 countries, 50 multi-disciplinary ultrasound consultants, and 21 medical students and residents contributed to these recommendations. A modified Delphi consensus method was used that included a systematic literature search, evaluation of the quality of literature by the GRADE system, and the RAND appropriateness method for panel judgment and consensus decisions. The process included four in-person international discussion sessions and two rounds of online voting. RESULTS: A total of 332 consensus conference statements in four curricular domains were considered: (1) curricular scope (4 statements), (2) curricular rationale (10 statements), (3) curricular characteristics (14 statements), and (4) curricular content (304 statements). Of these 332 statements, 145 were recommended, 126 were strongly recommended, and 61 were not recommended. Important aspects of an undergraduate ultrasound curriculum identified include curricular integration across the basic and clinical sciences and a competency and entrustable professional activity-based model. The curriculum should form the foundation of a life-long continuum of ultrasound education that prepares students for advanced training and patient care. In addition, the curriculum should complement and support the medical school curriculum as a whole with enhanced understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiological processes and clinical practice without displacing other important undergraduate learning. The content of the curriculum should be appropriate for the medical student level of training, evidence and expert opinion based, and include ongoing collaborative research and development to ensure optimum educational value and patient care. CONCLUSIONS: The international consensus conference has provided the first comprehensive document of recommendations for a basic ultrasound curriculum. The document reflects the opinion of a diverse and representative group of international expert ultrasound practitioners, educators, and learners. These recommendations can standardize undergraduate medical student ultrasound education while serving as a basis for additional research in medical education and the application of ultrasound in clinical practice.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Family Medicine Residencies 5-Year Update: A CERA Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In 2014, family medicine residency programs began to integrate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into training, although very few had an established POCUS curriculum. This study aimed to evaluate the resources, barriers, and scope of POCUS training in family medicine residencies 5 years after its inception. METHODS: Questions regarding current training and use of POCUS were included in the 2019 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of family medicine residency program directors, and results compared to similar questions on the 2014 CERA survey. RESULTS: POCUS is becoming a core component of family medicine training programs, with 53% of program directors reporting establishing or an established core curriculum. Only 11% of program directors have no current plans to add POCUS training to their program, compared to 41% in 2014. Despite this increase in training, the reported clinical use of POCUS remains uncommon. Only 27% of programs use six of the eight surveyed POCUS modalities more than once per year. The top three barriers to including POCUS in residency training in 2019 have not changed since 2014, and are (1) a lack of trained faculty, (2) limited access to equipment, and (3) discomfort with interpreting images without radiologist review. CONCLUSIONS: Training in POCUS has increased in family medicine residencies over the last 5 years, although practical use of this technology in the clinical setting may be lagging behind. Further research should explore how POCUS can improve outcomes and reduce costs in the primary care setting to better inform training for this technology.

Prevalence of Abnormal Ultrasound Findings in Asymptomatic Posterior Tibial Tendons.

BACKGROUND: Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is a pathological condition that can cause failure of the posterior tibial tendon (PTT). Initially, patients with PTTD are often asymptomatic, making early identification and treatment challenging. Certain ultrasound (US) characteristics have been implicated in the presence of tendinopathy, but their frequency has yet to be assessed in the PTT. The purpose of this study was to identify and report on the frequency of incidental, or potentially early subclinical, tendinopathic US characteristics in asymptomatic PTTs. METHODS: Following institutional review board approval, 150 participants underwent a bilateral-comprehensive US assessment. The resulting images were reviewed and assessed to identify the presence of abnormalities demonstrated to represent tendinopathy. RESULTS: Overall, 266 tendons were assessed and 128 (48.1%) were determined to have at least one tendinopathic trait. Specifically, 51 (19.2%) had circumferential fluid, 69 (25.9%) had noncircumferential fluid, 22 (8.3%) had thickening, 31 (11.7%) had heterogenicity, 19 (7.1%) had hyperemia, and 2 (0.8%) had calcification. Additionally, Caucasian participants were found to be nearly 3 times more likely to have tendinopathic findings when compared with African American participants. CONCLUSION: Sixty-seven percent of participants and 48.1% of PTTs evaluated had at least one tendinopathic feature identified on US. The prevalence rates of these findings, observed in participants, were as follows: noncircumferential fluid, circumferential fluid, heterogenicity, and thickening. Knowing the frequency of these traits may help clinicians to identify subclinical tendinopathy in the PTT before it progresses to PTTD. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

Normal Ultrasonographic Parameters of the Posterior Tibial, Peroneal, and Achilles Tendons.

Tendinopathy of the foot and ankle is common and can lead to pain or functional limitations. The most frequently affected tendons in the foot and ankle are the posterior tibial, peroneal, and Achilles. We used ultrasound to determine normal values for these tendons. From 2015 to 2016, a prospective, standardized bilateral lower extremity ultrasound examination protocol was performed by a musculoskeletal ultrasonographer of the 4 tendons and above and below the malleoli as appropriate. A total of 199 patients with 398 extremities were identified, consented, and participated in the study. Most tendons were normally distributed. The average size of the tendons was as follows: Achilles 5.0 mm (range 2.8-11.2 mm); peroneus long above the malleolus 2.1 mm (range 0.7-3.6 mm), below the malleolus 2.9 mm (range 0.8-6.3 mm); peroneus brevis above the malleolus 1.2 cm (range 0.3-4.0 mm), below the malleolus 1.3 mm (range 0.5-4.8 mm); posterior tibial tendon above the malleoli 3.7 mm (range 1.9-8.1 mm), below the malleolus 4.6 cm (range 1.8-11.8 mm). Standard deviations and distribution curves were similarly calculated for each tendon. This baseline data can assist clinicians in their diagnostic ability with ultrasound. Given its low cost, lack of ionizing radiation and dynamic ability along with an improved understanding of normative data it may become an increasingly used diagnostic modality. Levels of Evidence: Level II: Diagnostic.

A Primary Care Ultrasound Fellowship: Training for Clinical Practice and Future Educators.

As ultrasound devices become smaller, more portable, and more user friendly, there is now widespread use of this technology by physicians of all specialties, yet there are currently few structured opportunities for ultrasound education outside of emergency and critical care medicine. Anticipating the rising educational demand in the primary care specialties, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine created a primary care ultrasound fellowship in 2011, the first yearlong training program in point-of-care ultrasonography for graduates of internal medicine, medicine-pediatrics, pediatrics, and family medicine residencies. This paper reviews the history of point-of-care ultrasonography fellowships and then provides an overview of the primary care ultrasound fellowship.

Point-of-care ultrasound: Coming soon to primary care?

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been gaining greater traction in recent years as a way to quickly (and cost-effectively) assess for conditions including systolic dysfunction, pleural effusion, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It involves limited and specific ultrasound protocols performed at the bedside by the health care provider who is trying to answer a specific question and, thus, help guide treatment of the patient. In this article, we will review the evidence for the use of POCUS in 4 areas: the cardiovascular exam, the lung exam, the screening exam for AAAs, and the evaluation for DVT. For all of these applications, POCUS is safe, accurate, and beneficial and can be performed with a relatively small amount of training by non-radiology specialists, including family physicians.

Assessment of a Novel Point-of-Care Ultrasound Curriculum's Effect on Competency Measures in Family Medicine Graduate Medical Education.

OBJECTIVES: Point-of-care ultrasound has been shown to decrease the use of expensive diagnostic studies and improve quality outcome measures. Currently, there is a large desire for training in family medicine residencies, but very few programs have established curricula. We sought to develop a family medicine residency curriculum and evaluate it with tools we developed. We wanted our curriculum to be easy to adopt by other residency programs, even if they did not have many well-trained ultrasound faculty. METHODS: We developed a curriculum in the form of a 4-week rotation in a family medicine residency program. It consisted of self-study videos, hands-on training, and image review. We followed residents in postgraduate years 1 to 3 over a 12-month period. We developed tools, including a knowledge exam, to test image interpretation and clinical decision making, an observed structured clinical exam to assess scanning skills, and a survey to assess perceptions of point-of-care ultrasound in family medicine. The assessments were administered before and after each resident's rotation. RESULTS: Seventeen residents completed the rotation. The average knowledge test score improved significantly, from 62 to 84%. The average observed structured clinical exam scores also improved significantly, from 41 to 85%. The average perception survey scores improved slightly from 4.4 to 4.6. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a point-of-care ultrasound curriculum for family medicine residency programs that improves measures of resident attitude, skills, and knowledge. This curriculum can be adopted by residency programs with few faculty members who are experienced in ultrasound.

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The evolution of an integrated ultrasound curriculum (iUSC) for medical students: 9-year experience.

Interest in ultrasound education in medical schools has increased dramatically in recent years as reflected in a marked increase in publications on the topic and growing attendance at international meetings on ultrasound education. In 2006, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine introduced an integrated ultrasound curriculum (iUSC) across all years of medical school. That curriculum has evolved significantly over the 9 years. A review of the curriculum is presented, including curricular content, methods of delivery of the content, student assessment, and program assessment. Lessons learned in implementing and expanding an integrated ultrasound curriculum are also presented as are thoughts on future directions of undergraduate ultrasound education. Ultrasound has proven to be a valuable active learning tool that can serve as a platform for integrating the medical student curriculum across many disciplines and clinical settings. It is also well-suited for a competency-based model of medical education. Students learn ultrasound well and have embraced it as an important component of their education and future practice of medicine. An international consensus conference on ultrasound education is recommended to help define the essential elements of ultrasound education globally to ensure ultrasound is taught and ultimately practiced to its full potential. Ultrasound has the potential to fundamentally change how we teach and practice medicine to the benefit of learners and patients across the globe.

Assessment of Primary Care Physicians' Use of a Pocket Ultrasound Device to Measure Left Ventricular Mass in Patients with Hypertension.

PURPOSE: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is common in primary care and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Treatment of underlying hypertension can reverse LVH and eliminate the associated risks. Electrocardiography is widely available and commonly used to screen hypertensive patients for LVH, but it is limited by low sensitivity. Limited echocardiographic measurement of the left ventricle is a method for screening with improved sensitivity; however, it is not currently widely used in the primary care setting. This study attempts to test the accuracy of primary care physicians' (PCPs) measurements of the left ventricle using a pocket-sized ultrasound (pUS) device after a brief training session. METHODS: This study was performed in an outpatient cardiology clinic by 3 family medicine residents and 1 family medicine faculty member after a 4-hour training session. Measurements of the left ventricle were made by PCPs using a pUS device; these measurements were compared with cardiologists' measurements from images obtained by echocardiography technicians. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated based on these measurements and then compared between groups. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the mean LVMI calculations in the 2 groups. The agreement in measurements between the groups, however, showed high variability. This was manifested by the low sensitivity (70%) and specificity (76%) of PCPs in the detection of LVH. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that limited echocardiography for the detection of LVH performed by PCPs at the point of care was feasible. Future studies are needed to determine the ideal training and experience necessary to yield competency.

Point of Care Ultrasound in Family Medicine Residency Programs: A CERA Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Point-of-care (POC) ultrasound is increasingly used by clinicians across multiple medical specialties. Current perceptions and prevalence of POC ultrasound practice and training in family medicine residency programs has not been described. METHODS: Questions were included in the 2014 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of family medicine residency directors. The survey included questions regarding current use and current curricula regarding POC ultrasound. It also asked rank order questions of perceived benefits and perceived barriers to expanding such training. RESULTS: Fifty percent (n=224) of residency program directors completed the 2014 CERA survey. Few programs (2.2%) reported an established ultrasound curriculum. However, 29% indicated they have started a program within the past year, and 11.2% reported starting the process of establishing such training. Ultrasound assistance for procedural guidance was the most commonly reported (44%) use out of seven POC examples. The three leading perceived benefits of POC ultrasound were: making a more rapid diagnosis, the potential to save health care costs, and the potential to improve patient outcomes. The three leading barriers to expanding training were a lack of appropriately trained faculty, limited access to ultrasound equipment, and a lack of comfort in interpreting images without radiologist review. CONCLUSIONS: A small, but rapidly growing, number of family medicine residencies currently use POC ultrasound. Further research is needed to explore how POC ultrasound can improve patient outcomes in the ambulatory setting and to develop appropriate training methods for this technology.

Military family physicians' perceptions of a pocket point-of-care ultrasound device in clinical practice.

Point-of-care ultrasonography with a pocket ultrasound device, General Electric Medical Systems Vscan (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), has been shown to be effective and easy to learn. However, no studies to date have evaluated its use in the military primary care setting where its portability and value in bedside diagnosis would be especially beneficial. We tested the feasibility of the Vscan in the day-to-day care of patients by family physicians in their clinic, inpatient wards, and its potential for use in the military-deployed setting. Participants were trained and credentialed in the use of the point-of-care ultrasonography. Then, participants were provided with a pocket ultrasound device to use in their normal day-to-day practice. Additionally, participants completed surveys and provided ratings on their perceptions regarding the use of the device. According to the survey analysis, participants found the devices to be easy to use, valuable in discerning a diagnosis, and were not prohibitively time consuming. Moreover, patients were perceived by the participants to have been satisfied with the use of the device. Overall, participants had high satisfaction with the Vscan and perceived that the device would be highly valuable in the military-deployed setting.

Ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon. The etiology is unknown. Risk factors include a history of recent infection with Salmonella or Campylobacter, living in Western industrialized nations and at higher latitudes, and a family history of the disease. The incidence peaks in early adulthood, but patients can develop the disorder from early childhood through adulthood. Ulcerative colitis often presents with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and hematochezia. It is important to exclude infectious etiologies. Anemia and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein level may suggest inflammatory bowel disease, but the absence of laboratory abnormalities does not rule out ulcerative colitis. The diagnosis is suspected clinically and confirmed through endoscopic biopsy. First-line treatment is therapy with 5-aminosalicylic acid. Corticosteroids may be added if 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy is ineffective. Infliximab can be added to induce and sustain remission. Patients with severe or nonresponsive ulcerative colitis should be hospitalized, and intravenous corticosteroids should be given. If medical management has been ineffective, surgical intervention is indicated for severe disease. Patients with ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of colon cancer and should have periodic colonoscopy beginning eight to 10 years after diagnosis.