Challenges in Ultrasound Exam Interpretation

Roy A. Filly, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, of Surgery, and of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco.

Ultrasound is a unique imaging modality due to the variability of image acquisition. Unlike other modalities where images are acquired linearly with fixed slices in a predictable order, ultrasound requires flexibility and a unique skill set to obtain diagnostic images. Surgical bandages, overlying bowel gas, anatomical variability all impact the quality of the study. While other cross-sectional imaging provides a holistic view of the internal anatomy of a patient, ultrasound can be thought of as a flashlight interrogating a dark room. If an area isn’t illuminated, it just isn’t seen. Read Complete Paper