Ultrasound International Open

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/a-1795-5138.].

Purpose Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is widely used, but the sensitivity and specificity of the findings are highly user-dependent. There are many different approaches to ultrasound training. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of hands-on practice when learning POCUS. Methods Junior doctors with no or limited ultrasound experience were included in the study and divided into three groups. They all completed a Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) course with different amounts of hands-on practice: 40 minutes (n=67), 60 minutes (n=12), and 90 minutes of hands-on time (n=27)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Purpose Pheochromocytoma (PCC) and adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) are two rare endocrine diseases. Early diagnosis is crucial to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. In this study, we used endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for high-resolution imaging to investigate the endosonographic morphology pattern of PCC and ACC. Materials and Methods This retrospective cohort study included 58 PCC/ACC lesions diagnosed by EUS imaging at two tertiary care centers between 1997 and 2015. The following groups were defined by histology or by the presence of a pheochromocytoma-associated syndrome without histological proof: bPCC (benign PCC), mPCC (malignant PCC), and ACC...

Purpose A semantic feature-based reporting proforma for intraoperative ultrasound findings in brain tumors was devised to standardize reporting. It was applied as a pilot study on a cohort of histologically confirmed high-grade supratentorial gliomas (Grade 3 and 4) for internal validation. Materials and Methods This intraoperative semantic ultrasound proforma was used to evaluate 3D ultrasound volumes using Radiant DICOM software by 3 surgeons. The ultrasound semantic features were correlated with histological features like tumor grade, IDH status, and MIB index...

Purpose Continuous wave Doppler ultrasound is routinely used to detect cardiac valve stenoses. Vector flow imaging (VFI) is an angle-independent real-time ultrasound method that can quantify flow complexity. We aimed to evaluate if quantification of flow complexity could reliably assess valvular stenosis in pediatric patients. Materials and Methods Nine pediatric patients with echocardiographically confirmed valvular stenosis were included in the study. VFI and Doppler measurements were compared with transvalvular peak-to-peak pressure differences derived from invasive endovascular catheterization...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Dear Colleagues, It is a special pleasure to introduce the first issue of Ultrasound International Open in a still difficult year - a year, in which many of us had concerns and clinical tasks reaching far beyond basic or clinical science on ultrasonography (US). Thus, I am delighted to draw your attention to some interesting and important new papers teaching us on various aspects of our every day's US practice.

Purpose Computed tomography (CT) is the most used imaging modality for diagnosing chronic pancreatitis (CP), but advances in transabdominal ultrasound (US) technology have given US a position as a viable alternative. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal CT and pancreatic US compared to the reference standard, a modified Mayo score. Materials and Methods CT, US, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) were performed in patients referred due to suspected CP. The modified Mayo score included EUS results, clinical presentation, and results from exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function tests...

Purpose Renal lesions are frequent random findings on CT, MRI, and conventional ultrasound. Since they are usually found accidentally, the respective examinations have not been performed optimally to provide a conclusive diagnosis, making additional multiphase contrast-enhanced examinations necessary. The aim of the study is to correlate CEUS findings with the final diagnosis and to determine whether it is a suitable method for the conclusive characterization of undetermined renal lesions. Materials and Methods All CEUS examinations of focal renal lesions performed at our institute between 2007 and 2014 were retrospectively examined...

Abdominal ultrasonography and intestinal ultrasonography are widely used as first diagnostic tools for investigating patients with abdominal symptoms, mainly for excluding organic diseases. However, gastrointestinal ultrasound (GIUS), as a real-time diagnostic imaging method, can also provide information on motility, flow, perfusion, peristalsis, and organ filling and emptying, with high temporal and spatial resolution. Thanks to its noninvasiveness and high repeatability, GIUS can investigate functional gastrointestinal processes and functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGID) by studying their behavior over time and their response to therapy and providing insight into their pathophysiologic mechanisms...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Invasive liver abscess syndrome (ILAS) is caused by strains of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) and has emerged as the leading cause of liver abscesses in immuno-competent patients (L.K. Siu et al. Lancet Infect Dis 2012; 12: 881-87). ILAS is frequently associated with metastatic spread including the eyes, lungs, and the central nervous system. The morbidity and mortality of affected patients are increased compared to liver abscesses of other origin, especially in cases with concomitant diabetes mellitus (J...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/a-1371-9359.].

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 To describe the clinical awareness and acceptance of ultrasound-diagnosed acute epiploic appendagitis (EA) and their importance to avoid unnecessary therapeutic and imaging measures. Patients and Methods The data were obtained of n=54 patients with acute, localized, peritonitic pain and EA diagnosed by B-mode ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination from November 2003 to September 2020. All examinations were performed by a German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) Level III qualified examiner...

Conventional ultrasound imaging (US) is the first-line investigation in acute non-traumatic abdominal emergencies, but sometimes it needs further examinations, such as computed tomography (CT), to reach a certain diagnosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), through injection of contrast medium, may provide the radiologist with additional information that could not be investigated with baseline US. It could help reach a diagnosis and rapidly determine the proper therapy in an emergency setting. The purpose of this review is to explain and illustrate the various possibilities and limitations of CEUS in acute non-traumatic abdominal diseases, in particular acute inflammation, parenchymal infarcts, and hemorrhages...

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a chronic fibroinflammatory autoimmune mediated disease of the pancreas. Clinically, obstructive painless jaundice and upper abdominal pain are the main symptoms. Focal AIP is characterized by segmental involvement of pancreatic parenchyma and it is often radiologically represented by a pancreatic mass. In these cases, the diagnosis can be very challenging, since it may be easily confused with pancreatic cancer. Therefore, we suggest a combined approach of imaging tests as the diagnostic workup...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/a-1298-9642.].