DIAGNOSIS

the UK (led initially by general practition- ers and midwives) have shifted many ultrasound examinations away from traditional UK hospital X-ray departments and into the primary care environment. Partly as recognition of this, and partly to try and join together to introduce, this gradually led to introductory guidelines on 'training levels’ (25).

In the 14 years since this paper, there has been much debate and some professional controversy over the issue of 'non-radiolo- gist sonographers'. In some quarters there is almost frank hostility towards this con- cept (14). Other publications are much more representative of the widespread goodwill and enthusiasm that greets prac- titioners interested in developing this skill (13,16, 26).

With courses and equipment becoming ever more accessible and affordable, the opportunities to have multi-skilled professionals doing 'office scanning' and one-stop-shops have never been better.

THE AUTHORS Dr Robertson has been an Army GP with a MAIN LEARNING POINTS

■ Ultrasound has been used to image musculoskeletal structures since at least 1958 ■ Ultrasound has moved more and more from hospital radiology departments into pri- mary care and out-patient clinics in the last decade, leading to increased ‘office MSKUS’.

■ MSKUS has both advantages and disadvantages; these must be taken into account when considering whether developing MSKUS has the potential to be an asset for your particular practice.

■ Newer US machines are now priced at a level that makes equipment accessible to primary care, non-radiologist departments and private practice.

special interest in Sports & Exercise Medicine since 1998. He has performed MskUS since 2003. Practical training in MskUS was primarily from three consultant musculoskeletal radiologists at Leeds General Infirmary 2003-2005, as well as nine other MskUS clinics in the North East. This culminated in a PGC in 2005, with pro- gression on to MSc planned. Duncan has been a faculty member on MskUS seminars for PCR Society, BIMM, Sonosite and both North and South Tees Hospital Trusts.

In

addition, he is an honorary lecturer on the pilot MskUS PGC course at Portsmouth University in 2006 and mentors non-radiol- ogist MskUS students.

Dr James Brown has been working as a sports physician since 1996. He has been on committees of BASEM and BIMM and in 2000 co-founded UKADIS, an association for doctors in sport. He has been chief medical officer to the England U-21 Rugby and is completing the final stages of his SEM training at the RNOH in Stanmore. He has been performing MskUS since 2001 and is due to complete a PGC in MskUS in 2007. Dr Brown has been a faculty member for Sonosite, BIMM and is an honorary lectur- er on the Portsmouth

University pilot

MskUS PGC course. He is one of the founder Fellows in SEM in the new UK faculty.

We are proud to offer a Digital Ultrasound Imaging System that is tailored to the physiotherapy / sports injuries market. The unit is ideal for biofeedback training of the Transversus Abdominis. This is shown below with a split screen image showing the muscles during rest & during contraction. The unit is also suitable for all other types of musculoskeletal imaging such as ligaments, tendons, muscles etc. The unit will allow you to see real-time movement of structures within the body such as nerves, muscles and many other structures..

The unit offers: • Split screen Imaging - with easy switch/freeze of either image. • Two probe output sockets - so no need to unplug or even reboot the unit to switch probes.

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• Choice of various probe sizes and profi les.

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£4995.00 + VAT FOR UNIT & PROBE

STARTING AT