by\u00a0Laura Currie, B.S., RT(R), RDMS, RVT, RMSKS<\/p>\n
As a sonography student in 1986, the subject of my graduation project was \u201cUltrasound Evaluation of the Rotator Cuff\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0The procedure was in its infancy on the West Coast but beginning to see increased use in some regions of the country.\u00a0\u00a0The scans were performed by Radiologists with a particular interest in sonography and a willingness to accept the challenge.<\/p>\n
I was fortunate to have worked with one of those Radiologist, Dr. Charles Pope, in Raleigh, NC from 1988 \u2013 2005.\u00a0\u00a0Dr. Pope had a great working relationship with many of the Orthopedic Physicians in the capital city and they referred patients for shoulder ultrasounds first to rule out rotator cuff tears.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Two days per week were reserved for shoulder patients and we averaged 16-20 rotator cuff scans per week.\u00a0\u00a0As ultrasound technology advanced, we were increasingly confident in diagnosing partial thickness tears, avulsion fractures and tendon calcifications in addition to complete tears.\u00a0\u00a0MRI procedures were seldom required for these patients.<\/p>\n
In 2005 I relocated to Wilmington and began teaching in the CFCC Medical sonography program.\u00a0\u00a0I was surprised to find that ultrasound was not being used to diagnose rotator cuff tears in my new community.\u00a0\u00a0For the past 15 years, I have followed the growing MSK Sonography modality and watched from afar as it expanded to include scans of all upper and lower extremity joints.\u00a0\u00a0Yet after 15 years of continued growth in the MSK sonography field, my community remains underserved in this modality.\u00a0\u00a0While it is being used for guided therapeutics and surveillance of rheumatoid arthritis treatments, the use of ultrasound to diagnose joint\/tendon injuries and pathologies\u00a0has been quite slow to catch on here.<\/p>\n
One reason for this delay is that MSK sonography is very operator\u00a0dependent and our community lacks experienced MSK sonography practitioners.\u00a0\u00a0As with any new medical technique or procedure, appropriate training and practice is necessary.\u00a0\u00a0Some Radiologists have ultrasound scanning\u00a0experience, but may not be comfortable in their ability to acquire MSK images. Orthopedic Physicians may also have been exposed to ultrasound use in their residencies and fellowships but the learning curve is steep and requires consistent exposure and practice.<\/p>\n
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers already possess the foundation needed to learn MSK sonography and thus are able to hone the required skills at a faster pace.\u00a0\u00a0CFCC sought the opinion of the sonographers in our community and found sufficient levels of interest and desire to learn MSK sonography.\u00a0\u00a0In response to this interest, CFCC offered our first MSK Sonography Program in the spring of 2020.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our curriculum includes instruction in anatomy, scan techniques, protocols and pathologies of all upper and lower extremity joints.\u00a0\u00a0Students also learn the dynamic techniques that can be performed while scanning, which gives ultrasound an advantage over MRI scans.<\/p>\n
Our first class of students included sonographers, Physical Therapists and Physicians Assistants from North Carolina, Virginia and California.\u00a0\u00a0Two sonographers in Wilmington completed the first MSK course and are ready to scan shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, ankles and feet.\u00a0\u00a0Our Medical Sonography program plans to continue training additional sonographers\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0Physicians each year with the next MSK sonography course starting on January 7, 2021.<\/p>\n Education and training are essential to the availability of these cost-effective and convenient MSK sonography procedures in our community. \u00a0Now that this training is available, what else needs to be done before MSK sonography can move forward in Wilmington?\u00a0\u00a0Is there an established dialogue between local Orthopedic Physicians and Radiologists to discuss interest in referring patients for MSK Sonography procedures and the procedures that are available?\u00a0\u00a0I look forward to hearing about MSK Sonography progress in the near future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Laura Currie is a North Carolina native and a graduate of Greensboro College, Moses Cone Radiologic Technology Program and the UNC-CH Medical Sonography Program.\u00a0 \u00a0She has worked as a staff sonographer at Duke University Medical Center and as a Supervisor and sonographer at Wake Radiology Diagnostic Imaging in Raleigh, NC.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n Laura is registered through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers holding\u00a0RDMS credentials in Abdomen, OB-GYN and Neonatal Neurosonography specialties.\u00a0 She also holds the RVT credentials for vascular technology and most recently earned the new RMSKS credential for musculoskeletal sonography.\u00a0 In addition, Laura is a registered Radiologic Technologist.\u00a0<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n Laura is the Clinical Coordinator for the Medical Sonography Program at Cape Fear Community College and teaches sonographic physics, vascular sonography, obstetrical sonography and musculoskeletal sonography.\u00a0 She is a past president of the North Carolina Ultrasound Society and has worked with the Society as a member of the Board of Directors and an Administrator to bring quality continuing education to sonographers throughout the Carolinas.<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by\u00a0Laura Currie, B.S., RT(R), RDMS, RVT, RMSKS As a sonography student in 1986, the subject of my graduation project was \u201cUltrasound Evaluation of the Rotator Cuff\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0The procedure was in its infancy on the West Coast but beginning to see increased use in some regions of the country.\u00a0\u00a0The scans were performed by Radiologists with a particular […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n