Ultrasound International Open最新文献

Purpose Ultrasound elastography is a noninvasive method for liver stiffness measurement (LSM) with the aim of reflecting approximate liver fibrosis load. Despite minimal evidence, current guidelines recommend 10 min of rest and breath hold prior to measurements and offer no advice concerning recent alcohol consumption, leading to challenges in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate how LSM in healthy adults is influenced by physical exercise, recent alcohol consumption, and respiration. Materials and Methods 42 healthy subjects aged 21-36 years were included. LSM using point shear wave elastography (pSWE) was performed in five stages: baseline, after physical activity, after registration of alcohol consumption, and during breath hold compared to free breathing. Results LSM values were significantly increased following physical exercise compared to baseline values (4.1±0.8 vs. 3.8±0.8 kPa, p=0.01). Alcohol consumption during the last 72 h (0-27 alcohol units) did not significantly affect LSM. There was no significant difference between LSM during breath hold and free breathing. Conclusion In healthy subjects, LSM increased after recent physical exercise, while alcohol consumption 24-72 h prior to examination did not have a significant impact. There was no clinically significant effect of breath hold on LSM. Our study supports present guidelines recommending rest prior to LSM, while indicating that breath hold may not be mandatory. Recent moderate alcohol exposure may affect LSM to a lesser extent than commonly believed.

During these difficult and unprecedented times, I am proud to introduce this quarters issue of Ultrasound International Open which is packed with high quality articles.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges for the medical community due to its large number of patients presenting with varying symptoms. Chest ultrasound (ChUS) may be particularly useful in the early clinical management in suspected COVID-19 patients due to its broad availability and rapid application. We aimed to investigate patterns of ChUS in COVID-19 patients and compare the findings with results from chest X-ray (CRX).

Materials and methods: 24 patients (18 symptomatic, 6 asymptomatic) with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction underwent bedside ChUS in addition to CRX following admission. Subsequently, the results of ChUS and CRX were compared.

Results: 94% (n=17/18) of patients with respiratory symptoms demonstrated lung abnormalities on ChUS. ChUS was especially useful to detect interstitial syndrome compared to CXR in COVID-19 patients (17/18 vs. 11/18; p<0.02). Of note, ChUS also detected lung consolidations very effectively (14/18 for ChUS vs. 7/18 cases for CXR; p<0.02). Besides pathological B-lines and subpleural consolidations, pleural line abnormality (89%; n=16/18) was the third most common feature in patients with respiratory manifestations of COVID-19 detected by ChUS.

Conclusion: Our findings support the high value of ChUS in the management of COVID-19 patients.

Dear Colleagues, Now you get a new Issue of Ultrasound International Open. As always you can find a mixture of different articles dealing with the main topic ultrasound.

Ultrasound is a ubiquitous and indispensable diagnostic and therapeutic tool in medicine. Due to modern equipment and automatic image optimization, the introduction of ultrasound imaging currently requires only little technical and physical knowledge. However, in-depth knowledge of the device functions and underlying mechanisms is essential for optimal image adjustment and documentation. From a medical as well as an aesthetic point of view, the goal should always be to achieve the best possible image quality. The first part of this article provides an overview of the handling of ultrasound systems, fundamental adjustments, and their optimization in B-mode ultrasound.

Purpose: Determine the confidence level and ability of first year medical students to identify abdominal structures using a wireless portable ultrasound scanner.

Methods: The students were assessed for their confidence and ability to perform abdominal ultrasound. The 5-point Likert survey included questions on their perception about ultrasound as a resource for learning anatomy, physical examination skills, and the quality of the pre-session instructions. Data was also recorded by the faculty about the students' ultrasound skills and confidence. Goodman and Kruskal's gamma was used to demonstrate an association between the students' ability to identify the structures and the self-reported student confidence level.

Results: Most of the students had confidence and were able to identify the liver, kidney, and urinary bladder, while almost half of them needed faculty help them to identify the inferior vena cava and aorta. The spleen and gall bladder were the most difficult to locate even for the very confident students. The perception of supervising faculty was that the confidence level was low in most of the students and only 13-20% of students felt "very confident" about performing ultrasound. Almost 37% needed encouragement and support and almost 10% of the students were not willing to try to locate difficult organs. Some students started locating the ureteric jet and portal vein. Most of the students agreed that ultrasound is an excellent resource for learning anatomy and physical examination skills. All students suggested having more ultrasound sessions.

Conclusion: Most of the students feel confident about performing ultrasound and they perceive that ultrasound can enhance their basic sciences and physical examination skills.