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Otolaryngologist-performed head and neck ultrasound: outcomes and challenges in learning the technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2014

K Badran ,
P Jani  and
L Berman
K Badran*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
P Jani
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
L Berman
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr K Badran, 66 Balforn Drive, Coatbridge ML5 4FF, UK E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess the feasibility and accuracy of otolaryngologist-performed ultrasound in evaluating head and neck pathology.

Method:

An ENT trainee, who had undergone basic training in neck ultrasonography, performed this on patients referred with suspected neck pathology. The trainee recorded the presence and nature of any abnormality. Findings were compared with those from a repeated scan performed by an experienced head and neck radiologist.

Results:

The study included 250 patients. The absence or presence of lesion as reported by the trainee correlated with the radiologist's findings in 207 cases (83 per cent). There were 144 true positives, 63 true negatives, 32 false negatives and 11 false positives, yielding a sensitivity of 82 per cent, specificity of 85 per cent and accuracy of 83 per cent. Of the 144 true positive lesions, 81 per cent were interpreted concordantly with the radiologist.

Conclusion:

Neck ultrasonography performed by an otolaryngologist is less accurate than that performed by an experienced radiologist, but is still a useful adjunct to clinical assessment, facilitating assessment in a ‘one-stop’ clinical setting.

Keywords

UltrasonographyNeckAbnormalitiesOtolaryngology
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 128 , Issue 5 , May 2014 , pp. 447 - 453
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2014 

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