IMPROVING THE ULTRASOUND PATHOLOGY DETECTION RATE BY ADDING SIMULATOR TRAINING TO CONVENTIONAL ULTRASOUND EDUCATION

Purpose: Ultrasound education is complicated by locally different quantities and qualities of pathologic findings. Furthermore, ultrasound education is very time consumeing. Therefore we developed an ultrasound simulator and proved that it simulated the sonography of the abdomen reliably and reproducibly (Ultraschall in Med 2003; 24:239–244). However, a numerical improvement in sonographic skill following simulator training has not yet been shown. Methods and Materials: During a conventional beginners and advanced level course of ultrasound of the abdomen, which were held according to DEGUM, ÖGUM and SGUM standa…