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How is shoulder ultrasound done in Italy? A survey of clinical practice

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Abstract

Objectives

To define when an ultrasound examination of the shoulder can be considered complete and how many examinations currently performed in Italy are actually complete according to that definition.

Materials and methods

Reports and images of previously performed ultrasound examinations of the shoulder of patients seen in 2014 for interventional procedures were reviewed for the following items, according to guidelines published by the European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology: long biceps, subscapularis, supraspinatus, external rotators, acromioclavicular joint, subacromial bursa, subacromial space, coraco-acromial ligament, and the posterior recess. The first six items were considered mandatory in a complete shoulder ultrasound examination. The specialization of the performing physician was noted. The number of complete examinations performed by different physicians was compared with the number of incomplete examinations.

Results

We analyzed 324 examinations (212 women, 112 men; mean age = 47 ± 12 years). The most frequently reported item was the supraspinatus tendon (83 %), the least frequently reported was the posterior recess (3 %). The image that was most frequently found was the long head of the biceps tendon (77 %), the least frequently found was the coraco-acromial ligament (3 %). The median number of images/examination was 6 (25th–75th percentiles, range 4–9). The mean number of unrecognizable images was 3 (2–4). A radiologist performed the examination in 269 patients (83 %). The rate of complete examinations was 47 %. The number of complete examinations performed by physicians from different specialties was not significantly different from that of incomplete examinations (P = 0.228).

Conclusions

Complete shoulder ultrasound examinations account for less than 50 % of those performed in clinical practice in some Italian regions. Standardized scanning protocols and structured reporting may help to improve this figure and consistency among providers performing these examinations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Medicina e di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi del Molise, Via De Sanctis 1, 86100, Campobasso, Italy

    Marcello Zappia

  2. Servizio di Radiologia, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, 20097, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy

    Alberto Aliprandi

  3. Dipartimento di Radiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza, Centro Traumatologico Ortopedico, Via Zuretti 29, 10126, Turin, Italy

    Simona Pozza

  4. Scuola di Specializzazione in Radiodiagnostica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122, Milan, Italy

    Fabio Martino Doniselli & Salvatore Gitto

  5. Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 31, 20100, Milan, Italy

    Luca Maria Sconfienza

  6. Unità Operativa di Radiologia/Diagnostica per Immagini con Servizio di Radiologia Interventistica, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via R. Galeazzi 4, 20166, Milan, Italy

    Luca Maria Sconfienza

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  1. Marcello Zappia
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  6. Luca Maria Sconfienza
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Correspondence to Luca Maria Sconfienza.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest with regard to the present paper.

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Zappia, M., Aliprandi, A., Pozza, S. et al. How is shoulder ultrasound done in Italy? A survey of clinical practice. Skeletal Radiol 45, 1629–1634 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-016-2477-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-016-2477-5

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