https://www.healio.com/rheumatology/imaging/news/online/%7B6b8b3c9e-abed-4d7f-ac1d-2e75347130d4%7D/consensus-argues-for-rheumatology-specific-definitions-for-ultrasound-terms?

"Although most of the ultrasound scanning conventions detailed in the 2011 consensus remain applicable for rheumatologists today, there is still a need for rheumatology-defined descriptions for “complete scan” and “limited scan” to better reflect how physicians in the specialty currently use the technology, according to an updated consensus published in Arthritis Care and Research.

“Many of the protocols utilized in rheumatology, including joint based protocols, and definitions of what are complete and limited joint scans, have been driven by protocols developed by rheumatologists based in Europe — where the health care system is totally different from the United States,” Karina D. Torralba, MD, MACM, of Loma Linda University, told Healio Rheumatology."

(snip...) " “A comprehensive rheumatology musculoskeletal ultrasound examination consists of real time scans of a specific region that can include examination of the muscles, tendons, joints, other soft tissue structures, and any identifiable abnormality relevant to a rheumatic differential diagnosis or a multi structure rheumatic disease assessment tool.”

which led them to that...
"[...] more clinically realistic, and rheumatology-specific, definitions of “complete scan” are needed, including disease-specific protocols."

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This last point made me smile. Here in France a scan, X-Ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound is ordered up with no indication as to what to look for, just, item, knee, spine, elbow etc etc ! I always attach a list to ordering note <G>. Seems to work !

Molly, Keeping on, Keeping on, (as we all do innit ?)


MollyC1i - Riding OutAS