AIM: To assess the impact of training two general practitioners (GPs), on performing low complexity ultrasound examinations of the abdomen with diagnostic competence. STUDY DESIGN: A non-randomised, prospective, double blind evaluation study of the acquired competence. Ultrasound examinations were performed successively and independently by the GP and the radiologist, and registered on two sheets of an identical case report form. SETTING: Departments of Vic General Hospital and Vic Health Care Centre of the Catalan Health Institute. SUBJECTS: A total of 120 patients who needed a low complexity abdominal ultrasound from a total amount of 868 ultrasound examinations scheduled. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The kappa index of the primary diagnosis (ultrasound diagnostic conclusion), as well as of the ultrasound findings for each abdominal organ was calculated. A good level of training was considered if a minimum kappa index of 0.80 was attained between general practitioner and radiologist. RESULTS: After six month running, an "ad interim" analysis showed a kappa index for the primary ultrasound diagnosis of 0.85. At the end of the study, an overall kappa index of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.82-0.98) was achieved. The agreement by organs was also high (pancreas and spleen excluded), as well as sensitivity (>75%) and specificity (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study demonstrate the feasibility of the performance, by trained GPs, of ultrasound examinations of low complexity of the abdomen with diagnostic competence.
AIM: To assess the impact of training two general practitioners (GPs), on performing low complexity ultrasound examinations of the abdomen with diagnostic competence. STUDY DESIGN: A non-randomised, prospective, double blind evaluation study of the acquired competence. Ultrasound examinations were performed successively and independently by the GP and the radiologist, and registered on two sheets of an identical case report form. SETTING: Departments of Vic General Hospital and Vic Health Care Centre of the Catalan Health Institute. SUBJECTS: A total of 120 patients who needed a low complexity abdominal ultrasound from a total amount of 868 ultrasound examinations scheduled. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The kappa index of the primary diagnosis (ultrasound diagnostic conclusion), as well as of the ultrasound findings for each abdominal organ was calculated. A good level of training was considered if a minimum kappa index of 0.80 was attained between general practitioner and radiologist. RESULTS: After six month running, an "ad interim" analysis showed a kappa index for the primary ultrasound diagnosis of 0.85. At the end of the study, an overall kappa index of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.82-0.98) was achieved. The agreement by organs was also high (pancreas and spleen excluded), as well as sensitivity (>75%) and specificity (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study demonstrate the feasibility of the performance, by trained GPs, of ultrasound examinations of low complexity of the abdomen with diagnostic competence.
Authors: Anouk M Speets; Arno W Hoes; Yolanda van der Graaf; Sandra Kalmijn; Niek J de Wit; Alexander D Montauban van Swijndregt; Jan Willem C Gratama; Matthieu J C M Rutten; Willem P T H M Mali Journal: Fam Pract Date: 2006-06-21 Impact factor: 2.267
Authors: Luis García Burriel; Alba Berjón Chamorro; Juan Luis Burón Llamazares; Consuelo Onrubia Baticón; Ana Nuñez Journal: Aten Primaria Date: 2009-05-09 Impact factor: 1.137
Authors: Francesc X Marín-Gomez; Jacobo Mendioroz Peña; Vicenç Canal Casals; Marcos Romero Mendez; Ana Darnés Surroca; Antoni Nieto Maclino; Josep Vidal-Alaball Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-05-11 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Ignacio Manuel Sánchez Barrancos; Francisco José Guerrero García; María Del Carmen Rico López; Vicente Fernández Rodríguez; Tomás Vegas Jiménez; Rafael Alonso Roca; Daniel Domínguez Tristancho Journal: Aten Primaria Date: 2018-05-30 Impact factor: 1.137
Authors: Fernando Diego-Domínguez; Miguel Torrecilla-García; Jesús Casado-Huerga; Maria Ángeles Paule-Sánchez; Clara Isabel Soria-López; José Manuel Iglesias-Clemente; José María de Dios-Hernández; Natalia Diego-Mangas; María Cubillo-Jiménez; Fernando Pérez-Escanilla Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2020-07-02 Impact factor: 1.817
Authors: Ignacio Manuel Sánchez Barrancos; Tomás Vegas Jiménez; Rafael Alonso Roca; Daniel Domínguez Tristancho; Francisco José Guerrero García; María Del Carmen Rico López; Vicente Fernández Rodríguez Journal: Aten Primaria Date: 2018-03-28 Impact factor: 1.137