Dataset Information

Improving the quality of breast ultrasound examination performed by inexperienced ultrasound doctors with synchronous tele-ultrasound: a prospective, parallel controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

This prospective study explored the value of synchronous tele-ultrasound (US) to aid doctors inexperienced in US with breast US examinations.

Methods

In total, 99 patients were enrolled. Two trainee doctors who were inexperienced in US (trainee A [TA] and trainee B [TB]) and one doctor who was an expert in US completed the US examinations sequentially. TA completed the US examinations independently, while TB was instructed by the expert using synchronous tele-US. Subsequently, the expert performed on-site US examinations in person. Separately, they selected the most clinically significant nodule as the target nodule. Consistency with the expert and image quality were compared between TA and TB to evaluate tele-US. Furthermore, TB and the patients evaluated tele-US through questionnaires.

Results

TB demonstrated higher consistency with the expert in terms of target nodule selection than TA (93.3% vs. 63.3%, P<0.001). TB achieved good inter-observer agreement (ICC, >0.75) with the expert on five US features (5/9, 55.6%), while TA only did so for one (1/9, 11.1%) (P=0.046). TB's image quality was higher than TA's in gray value, time gain compensation, depth, color Doppler adjustment, and the visibility of key information (P=0.018, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.033, and P=0.006, respectively). The comprehensive assessment score was higher for TB than for TA (3.96±0.82 vs. 3.09±0.87, P<0.001). Tele-US was helpful in 69.7% of US examinations and had a training effect in 68.0%. Furthermore, 63.6% of patients accepted tele-US and 60.6% were willing to pay.

Conclusion

Tele-US can help doctors inexperienced in US to perform breast US examinations.

SUBMITTER: Sun YK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8942725 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Improving the quality of breast ultrasound examination performed by inexperienced ultrasound doctors with synchronous tele-ultrasound: a prospective, parallel controlled trial.

Sun Yi-Kang YK Li Xiao-Long XL Wang Qiao Q Zhou Bo-Yang BY Zhu An-Qi AQ Qin Chuan C Guo Le-Hang LH Xu Hui-Xiong HX

Ultrasonography (Seoul, Korea) 20210815 2

<h4>Purpose</h4>This prospective study explored the value of synchronous tele-ultrasound (US) to aid doctors inexperienced in US with breast US examinations.<h4>Methods</h4>In total, 99 patients were enrolled. Two trainee doctors who were inexperienced in US (trainee A [TA] and trainee B [TB]) and one doctor who was an expert in US completed the US examinations sequentially. TA completed the US examinations independently, while TB was instructed by the expert using synchronous tele-US. Subsequen ...[more]

PMID: 34794212

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Dataset Information

Improving the quality of breast ultrasound examination performed by inexperienced ultrasound doctors with synchronous tele-ultrasound: a prospective, parallel controlled trial.

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Improving the quality of breast ultrasound examination performed by inexperienced ultrasound doctors with synchronous tele-ultrasound: a prospective, parallel controlled trial.

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