Objective Ultrasound diagnostic imaging (USI) is widely utilized in sports medicine, orthopaedics, and rehabilitation. Its use in physical therapy clinical practice is increasing. This review summarizes published patient case reports describing USI in physical therapist practice. Design Comprehensive literature review. Literature Search PubMed was searched using the keywords “physical therapy” AND “ultrasound” AND “case report” AND “imaging”. In addition, citation indexes and specific journals were searched. Study Selection Criteria Papers were included if the patient was attending physical therapy, USI was necessary for patient management, the full text was retrievable, and the paper was written in English. Papers were excluded if USI was only used for interventions, such as biofeedback, or if the USI was incidental to physical therapy patient/client management. Data Synthesis Categories of data extracted included: 1) Patient presentation; 2) Setting; 3) Clinical indications; 4) Who performed USI; 5) Anatomical region; 6) Methods of USI; 7) Additional imaging; 8) Final diagnosis; and 9) Case outcome. Results Of the 172 papers reviewed for inclusion, 42 were evaluated. Most common anatomical regions scanned were the foot and lower leg (23%), thigh and knee (19%), shoulder and shoulder girdle (16%), lumbopelvic region (14%), and elbow/wrist and hand (12%). Fifty-eight percent of the cases were deemed static, while 14% reported using dynamic imaging. The most common indication for USI was a differential diagnosis list that included serious pathologies. Case studies often had more than one indication. Thirty-three cases (77%) resulted in confirmation of a diagnosis, while 29 case reports (67%) documented significant changes in physical therapy intervention strategies due to the USI, and 25 case reports (63%) resulted in referral. Conclusion This review of cases provides details on unique ways USI can be used during physical therapy patient care, including aspects that reflect the unique professional framework.

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In the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, students complete an anatomy course where they are expected to learn proper identification of anatomical structures and develop didactic manual skills to properly palpate those structures. For many students, the connection between what they view in the cadaveric laboratory and surface anatomy can be challenging. The purpose of this study was to use real‐time ultrasound imaging (RTUI) technology to enable students to visualize real‐time anatomy for the accuracy of their palpation skills. Subjects consisted of two consecutive years of students in the first semester of a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program taking gross anatomy (n=91; n= 102). The fifteen‐week gross anatomy course consisted of a lecture, prosected cadaver and a separate surface anatomy laboratories. Students were allocated into a control or experimental group based on laboratory sections. The standard surface anatomy laboratory education (control) included visual demonstration of palpation technique for the collateral ligaments of the knee and ankle, followed by verbal feedback from instructors while students were practicing. The experimental group also received visual feedback utilizing a GE Healthcare LOQIQ‐S7 Ultrasound Imaging Machine during identification of knee ligaments, but not during the identification of ankle ligaments. Four weeks following the intervention, all students' palpation performances of the knee and ankle ligaments were assessed for time and accuracy. In addition, students completed a six‐question survey assessing their perceived confidence in their palpation skills. Comparison of traditional and technology enhanced learning both within subject (knee v. ankle ligaments) and between subjects (control v. experimental) was analyzed for effectiveness on student's skill acquisition and confidence. The use of RTUI during laboratory teaching improved students' learning and accuracy in palpation of knee ligaments. The implementation of an emerging technology (RTUI) with traditional laboratory techniques may assist with student's transference of anatomical knowledge in cadaveric specimens to surface anatomy, which may have a long‐term impact on clinical skills.Support or Funding InformationThe development of this technology assisted instructional program is funded by Northeastern University Provost Instructional Development Grant.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

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