Editorial

Dear Colleagues,

This is the fourth issue of Ultrasound International Open (UIO) in 2016. It is a pleasure to inform you that you can now also read UIO online or offline at your convenience on your mobile device (smartphone or tablet PC) using eRef, the new journal app which also includes UIO. This will certainly increase acceptance of this online journal. Just download the eRef app from the Apple Store and register. We are also proud of the increasing number of manuscripts submitted directly to UIO.

The current issue covers the following topics:

• Training and education of medical students in ultrasound. The study shows a clear benefit of a standardized protocol for training.

• Evaluation of a semi-automated system for arthrosonography. The first results of the study are promising. It seems that the technique is comparable to conventional manual ultrasonography.

• Case report about US in asymptomatic sternalis muscle. This case report describes the use of US in asymptomatic swelling in the left breast and its differential diagnosis.

• A prospective study about the measurement of the cerebellar vermis in fetuses between 18 and 33 gestational weeks using 2D and 3D US. This is one of the hot topics in prenatal medicine. The evaluation of the posterior fossa can be very difficult. The data present information regarding the evaluation of the normal anatomy in that region.

• A retrospective follow-up analysis in patients with testicular microlithiasis. The study shows no correlation between testicular microlithiasis and testicular germ cell neoplasia.

• A study about contrast-enhanced US in CT with respect to undetermined focal liver lesions. The study showed a high diagnostic accuracy for CEUS in undetermined focal liver lesions found by CT. The conclusion is that CEUS is useful in differentiating between malignant and benign focal liver lesions in clinical practice.

• Literature review about the use of vascular elastography as a tool for assessing atherosclerotic plaques. 20 articles were included in this paper. The results are heterogeneous but the majority show potential for use of the method as a clinical tool in this regard.

These 7 articles provide an excellent overview of the use of ultrasound and reflect the main topics among members of the ultrasound community, such as the DEGUM, the German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. The use of new techniques (CEUS, elastography, 3D US) shows the scientific potential of ultrasound.

With great interest, I read the study about the training of medical students in ultrasound and the implementation of a standardized training protocol. These measures will have an impact on our future work, because the training and education of medical students as well of resident physicians will play a greater role.

I hope you enjoy this issue of UIO and congratulations to all of the authors.

On behalf of the Editors of UIO,
Kai-Sven Heling

Correspondence

PD Dr. med. Kai-Sven Heling

Praenataldiagnostik

chaoui & heling

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