OBJECTIVES: To determine which focused ultrasound examinations can be interpreted accurately by emergency physicians who have limited training and experience. To determine whether image quality and/or the operator's level of confidence in the findings correlates with accurate scan interpretation. METHODS: A prospective sample of consenting adult emergency department patients with the conditions was selected for study. Scans were performed by emergency physicians who had attended a 3-day focused ultrasound examinations instruction course. All scans were videotaped and subsequently reviewed by a radiologist. Accuracy was determined by comparing the emergency physicians scan interpretation with preselected gold standards. Chi-squared tests were employed to determine if the individual performing the scan, the type of scan, patient's body habitus, image quality and/or operator confidence were reliable predictors of accuracy. RESULTS: Between September 1997 and January 1999, 221 scans were studied. Accuracy varied widely depending on the type of scan performed: aortic scans were 100% accurate whereas renal scans had 68% accuracy. On bivariate analyses, there was little variation in the various operators' levels of proficiency and accuracy of interpretation was not associated with patient body habitus, image quality or operator confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Neophytes can accurately perform and interpret aortic scans; additional training and/or experience appear to be necessary to achieve proficiency in conducting most of the other scans studied. Inexperienced operators are unable to discern whether their scan interpretations will prove accurate.
OBJECTIVES: To determine which focused ultrasound examinations can be interpreted accurately by emergency physicians who have limited training and experience. To determine whether image quality and/or the operator's level of confidence in the findings correlates with accurate scan interpretation. METHODS: A prospective sample of consenting adult emergency department patients with the conditions was selected for study. Scans were performed by emergency physicians who had attended a 3-day focused ultrasound examinations instruction course. All scans were videotaped and subsequently reviewed by a radiologist. Accuracy was determined by comparing the emergency physicians scan interpretation with preselected gold standards. Chi-squared tests were employed to determine if the individual performing the scan, the type of scan, patient's body habitus, image quality and/or operator confidence were reliable predictors of accuracy. RESULTS: Between September 1997 and January 1999, 221 scans were studied. Accuracy varied widely depending on the type of scan performed: aortic scans were 100% accurate whereas renal scans had 68% accuracy. On bivariate analyses, there was little variation in the various operators' levels of proficiency and accuracy of interpretation was not associated with patient body habitus, image quality or operator confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Neophytes can accurately perform and interpret aortic scans; additional training and/or experience appear to be necessary to achieve proficiency in conducting most of the other scans studied. Inexperienced operators are unable to discern whether their scan interpretations will prove accurate.
Authors: David Arkadij Albrecht; Andreas Schuler; Wolfgang Kratzer; Jovana Louisa Vogt; Mark Martin Haenle; Richard Andrew Mason; Richard Lorenz; Jochen Klaus Journal: J Med Ultrason (2001) Date: 2011-08-11 Impact factor: 1.314
Authors: Jaime Benarroch-Gampel; Casey A Boyd; Kristin M Sheffield; Courtney M Townsend; Taylor S Riall Journal: J Am Coll Surg Date: 2011-08-20 Impact factor: 6.113