Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) Training for Arthritic Conditions: Ankle, Knee and Elbow - Basics and Techniques

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) Training for Arthritic Conditions: Ankle, Knee and Elbow - Basics and Techniques is organized by UC San Diego School of Medicine, Continuing Medical Education.

Release: November 12, 2020
Expiration: November 11, 2021

Accreditation:
AMA: The University of California San Diego School of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum 6.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Overview:
The Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Training for Arthritic Conditions: Ankle, Knee and Elbow is an online curriculum (6.0 hours) developed to provide online training in musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) to evaluate arthritic conditions and musculoskeletal abnormalities of ankles, knees and elbows. The main objective is to enable health care professionals to use MSKUS as a point-of care-imaging tool to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of joint pains.

The course will cover imaging fundamentals and basic physics of ultrasound, anatomy and sono-anatomy, limitations and advantages of ultrasound compared to other imaging modalities like Magnet Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computer Tomography (CT), as well as equipment considerations. The course also informs how to interpret images in the setting of a case based approach across a wide range of MSK abnormalities, such as ankle sprains, gouty arthritis, hemophilic hemarthrosis, menisceal tear effusions and others.

Leading MSK ultrasound experts will provide lectures and case presentations. This program has been developed to provide a comprehensive introduction to MSKUS, replacing previous in person hands-on classroom courses to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This online program is on-demand and be accessed anytime.

Topics include:
• Imaging Fundamentals and Tissue Characterization
• Basic Bony Anatomy of the Ankle, Elbow, and Knee
• Knee Anatomy, Scan Techniques and Normal Ultrasound Characteristics
• Ankle Anatomy, Scan Techniques and Normal Ultrasound Characteristics
• Elbow Anatomy, Scan Techniques and Normal Ultrasound Characteristics
• Equipment and Technical Considerations
• Advantages and Limitations of MRI, CT and MSKUS for MSK Imaging
• MSKUS Case Vignettes

Statement of Need:
Arthritic conditions are frequent, and benefit from symptomatic relief measures as a bridge to joint replacement. The clinical exam to diagnose and treat arthritic conditions, joint problems and musculoskeletal abnormalities, is unreliable, since range of motion deficits, warmth, swelling and pain are non-specific and don't permit the distinction between conditions. Therefore, point-of-care imaging is rapidly advancing and has become critical to practice state-of-the-art musculoskeletal medicine. High resolution Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) with Power Doppler capacity is an imaging technique, increasingly available due to technological advances, that permits point-of-care hand-held ultrasound scanning. Therefore, MSKUS is now introduced into many musculoskeletal disciplines, including orthopedics, rheumatology, sports medicine, primary care, and hemophilia treatment centers. MSKUS permits ultrasound-guided interventions on multiple levels. MSKUS is a rapid, convenient, highly sensitive and a non-invasive imaging method for the diagnosis of cartilage abnormalities, joint effusions, joint bleeds, muscle tears, tendon tears and inflammation, soft tissue masses, and peripheral nerve conditions. It is also a valuable tool to follow joint health long-term by individual assessment of synovial hypertrophy, inflammation and cartilage health. However, training to diagnose and manage arthritic conditions, is required. This CME course will provide online training in MSKUS, enabling providers to use MSKUS as point-of care imaging tool to assist with diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal pains.

Educational Objectives
Following completion of this educational activity, learners should be able to:
• Describe MSKUS basics, basic physics and knobology
• Discuss the basic operations of an ultrasound machine
• Interpret and apply sono-anatomy of ankles, knees, elbows.
• Interpret basic structural abnormalities by sono-pathological findings
• Apply standard MSKUS transducer positions for ankles, knees, elbows
• Recognize common arthritic conditions like effusions, tendon tears, cartilage erosions and other
• Describe the most common artifacts and pitfalls during joint ultrasound scanning.