Abstract
There is no agreement among the rheumatology community in how to implement the musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) technique in the Rheumatology Divisions. To test the perceived usefulness of the MSUS, under consensus indications, for referring colleagues for the clinical management of their patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and to score the satisfaction level of the patients with different aspects of the ultrasound (US) examination, after attend to the MSUS clinic. A written questionnaire-based survey regarding the usefulness and satisfaction with the implementation of a pilot MSUS clinic in a Rheumatology Unit. Over a 6-month period, 43 patients attended 10 MSUS clinics. Referral agreed indications were: US assisting in early/subclinical diagnosis (35 %), decision making with patient treatment (44 %), monitoring of disease activity/treatment response (39 %) and US-guided injection (11 %). Average scores of the referrers regarding usefulness of the information provided for the US for these indications were 8.0, 8.3, 8.7 and 8.6, respectively, with a high score of 9.0 regarding the valuable support of the US for the management of their patients with IA. Patient satisfaction scores in responders (44 %) were averaged 9.5 and higher for receiving an adequate explanation of the US procedure, indications, US findings and their significance, lack of discomfort and length of the appointment. The average score was slightly lower (8.5) for the waiting time frame for the appointment for the MSUS examination. The referrers expressed a perception of usefulness of our pilot US clinic, under previous consensus indications, for the clinical management of their patients with IA. In addition, this MSUS clinic seemed to show a good acceptability and a high satisfaction scores for the patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Naredo E, D’Agostino MA, Conaghan PG et al (2010) Current state of musculoskeletal ultrasound training and implementation in Europe: results of a survey experts and scientific societies. Rheumatology 49:2438–2443
Wakefield RJ, Goh E, Conahan PG et al (2003) Musculoskeletal ultrasonography in Europe: results of a rheumatologist-based survey at a EULAR meeting. Rheumatology 42:1251–1253
Karim Z, Wakefield RJ, Conaghan PG et al (2001) Impact of ultrasonography on diagnosis and management of patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Arthritis Rheum 44:2932–2933
Micu CM, Alcalde M, Saez JI et al (2013) Impact of musculoskeletal ultrasound in an outpatient rheumatology clinic. Arthritis Care Res 65:615–621
Patil P, Dasgupta B (2012) Role of ultrasound in the assessment of musculoskeletal diseases. Ther Adv Musuloskeletal Dis 4:341–355
Koski JM (2000) Ultrasound-guided injections in rheumatology. J Rheumatol 27:2131–2138
Kane D, Balint PW, Sturrock RD (2003) Ultrasonography is superior to clinical examination in the detection and localization of knee joint effusion in rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 30:966–971
Foltz V, Gandjbakhch F, Etchepare F et al (2012) Power Doppler ultrasound, but not low field magnetic resonance imaging predicts relapse and radiographic disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis patients with low levels of disease activity. Arthritis Rheum 64:67–76
Naredo E, Collado P, Cruz A et al (2007) Longitudinal Power Doppler ultrasonographic assessment of joint inflammatory activity in early rheumatoid arthritis: predictive value in disease activity and radiologic progression. Arthritis Rheum 57:116–124
Colebatch AN, Edwards CJ, Ostergaard M et al (2013) EULAR recommendations for the use of imaging of the joints in the clinical management of rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 72:804–814
Backhaus M, Ohrndorf S, Kellner H et al (2009) Evaluation of a novel 7-joint ultrasound score in daily rheumatologic practice: a pilot project. Arthritis Rheum 61:1194–1201
Iagnocco A, Ceccarelli C, Perricone C et al (2014) The use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in a rheumatology outpatient clinic. Med Ultrason 16:332–335
Rizzo C, Ceccarelli F, Gattamelata A et al (2013) Ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis. Med Ultrason 15:199–208
Ceponis A, Onishi M, Bluestein HG et al (2014) Utility of the ultrasound examination of the hand and wrist joints in the management of established rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care Res 56:236–244
Agrawal S, Bhagat SS, Dasgupta B (2009) Improvement in diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal conditions with one-stop clinic-based ultrasonography. Mod Rheumatol 19:53–56
Grassi W (2003) Clinical evaluation versus ultrasonography: who is the winner? J Rheumatol 30:908–909
Middleton WD, Payne WT, Teefey SA et al (2004) Sonography and MRI of the shoulder: comparison of patient satisfaction. AJR Am J Roentgenol 183:1449–1452
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Professor Leslie for his kind review of this manuscript and Margaret Sutherland for her excellent secretarial assistance with the study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Ethical standards
As this study was contemplated as a service evaluation, ethics was not required to contact the patients.
Informed consent
Informed consent for decision to participate in the survey was offered to the patients at the beginning of the questionnaire sent after the US clinic.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Acebes, C., Harvie, J.P., Wilson, A. et al. Clinical usefulness and patient satisfaction with a musculoskeletal ultrasound clinic: results of a 6-month pilot service in a Rheumatology Unit. Rheumatol Int 36, 1677–1681 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-016-3538-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-016-3538-8