Tag Archives: prenatal ultrasound

Why Have UltraCon FOMO When You Can Be a Part of the Transformation of Medical Ultrasound?

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Are you still on the fence about deciding whether or not to attend UltraCon, a reimagined take on the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine’s annual meeting? The transformation of the AIUM’s annual ultrasound meeting into UltraCon is an exciting step forward for the field. It will provide a platform to connect professionals, share ideas, and learn from each other. 

Previously, we’ve highlighted the benefits of attending Day 1 and Day 2 of UltraCon, but what about Day 3? Just one look at the UltraCon schedule, and you can tell that this is going to be its busiest day yet! Despite the jam-packed program, there are a ton of amazing professional development opportunities ready for you to explore. On Tuesday, four new symposia will kick off, covering topics from 3D/4D imaging to musculoskeletal sonography. There’s also a shark tank competition, an e-poster kiosk hall, the annual AIUM Awards session, and don’t forget about the William J. Fry Memorial Lecture. 

Let’s dive into the first new symposia, Early Pregnancy Ultrasound: Implications and Impacts on Care. This TED-talk-style forum is a great resource for learning about critical issues in the first trimester, such as providing equitable care in the emergency department and managing life-threatening situations. It has not only valuable information for medical professionals but also provides important insight into how to support patients after Dobbs. Participants can earn up to 1.5 CMEs.

Next, we have Optimizing Outcomes in Prenatal Imaging. During this symposia, participants can increase the quality and patient experience in obstetric imaging with a multidisciplinary approach. A group of specialists will present TED talks on topics such as early trimester issues, health inequities, and maternal/fetal life-threatening situations. Improve imaging outcomes via a perception bias workshop, challenging cases, and using the 3D world to understand ultrasound. Plus, roundtables with industry on image optimization and a special session on understanding the lifecycle of prenatal imaging. Participants can earn up to 3.0 CMEs.

POCUS: Cutting-Edge Uses and Controversies is the third symposium of Day 3. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is revolutionizing the way clinicians diagnose and treat patients. By providing real-time insights, POCUS offers quick, accurate, and cost-effective diagnosis of clinical problems. From development to bedside, POCUS has changed the game for clinicians worldwide. Are you seeking an engaging and informative symposium to discuss current POCUS advancements in medical ultrasound? Look no further than POCUS: Cutting-Edge Uses and Controversies symposium, which discusses topics such as global health, first-trimester concerns, scan ownership, POCUS workflow, and more. With an array of activities, including lectures, panel discussions, and workshops, this is sure to be a stimulating symposium that will leave you informed and inspired.

Breaking the Sound Barrier: Shaping the Future of Ultrasound is the last symposium of the day. The highly interactive symposium on ultrasound technologies is a great opportunity for clinicians, technologists, researchers, industry, and other stakeholders to learn about the latest advancements in ultrasound technology. This symposium will provide an invaluable platform for experts to share their knowledge and insights on how to utilize ultrasound techniques in clinical settings effectively. Attendees will have a chance to interact with leading professionals from around the world and discuss potential solutions for existing challenges within this field.

Outside of attending the symposia, there are several other interactive activities for participants to engage in. Firstly, the AIUM supports an ePoster program every year where attendees can explore and learn at their own pace through self-guided exploration. Secondly, attendees who have a great ultrasound idea and want to pitch it to industry can submit an application to pitch their ideas to venture capitalists, leaders from the industry, and an IP attorney, for the chance to win a cash prize of $1,000. Lastly, don’t forget to attend the 2023 William J. Fry Lecture given by pioneer in gynecologic ultrasound, Dr. Steven R. Goldstein, entitled “Do You Do POCUS: Why reinvent the wheel?”.  

UltraCon will be the must-attend event of the year for medical professionals who want to stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in ultrasound technology. With a wide variety of engaging sessions and workshops, there’s something for everyone, so avoid getting caught with FOMO. All of this is just what is available on the third day of symposia at UltraCon. Check out the Full Schedule to start planning out your UltraCon journey.

Arian Tyler, BS, is the Digital Media and Communications Coordinator for the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM).

COVID Life in the Prenatal Ultrasound Suite

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It is crazy to think that we are approaching the end of the second year of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. If the pandemic were a child, it would be walking, talking, and soon entering the “terrible twos”. In fact, my son was born in late February 2020, so all he knows is the pandemic. To him, masks are normal. He has even started to ask to wear a mask because that’s what everyone else does—mom, dad, his daycare teachers, his grandparents, his cousins. Though once he has one on, he quickly realizes that he prefers life without a mask.

Don’t we all, Andy?

As with most people, work life since the pandemic has changed. As a maternal-fetal medicine fellow, I’ve dedicated my training to the care of pregnant people and their fetuses, and I find the most fulfillment in the ultrasound suite. As cases rose, rooms filled with family and friends waiting for the words on the screen, “It’s a girl!”, during an anatomic survey became rooms with only a masked pregnant person and a masked sonographer (and the unmasked fetus, of course). While one adult support person has always been allowed to accompany each patient at our institution, they were frequently absent, whether they were working from home, caring for other children who are not allowed at appointments, or trying to limit exposures. Sonologists that previously were in and out of ultrasound rooms, scanning and counseling patients, were reading exams and counseling remotely.

Despite all the changes, the work continued. In fact, the pandemic has reminded us all that prenatal ultrasound is a medical necessity. At the height of the pandemic, elective medical procedures were canceled across the country. But the prenatal sonographers and maternal-fetal medicine specialists donned their N95s and face shields, and the prenatal ultrasound suite continued operation. In fact, cases that would have previously been managed with twice weekly non-stress tests were managed with weekly biophysical profiles instead to minimize potential exposures for a patient. Even with a current maternal diagnosis of COVID, arrangements were made to continue weekly umbilical artery Doppler studies for cases of fetal growth restriction. Some scans just cannot be delayed for 2 weeks. Despite all the changes, our purpose was clearer than ever—to provide excellent care for our patients, maternal and fetal.

With the widespread distribution of the vaccine and the decrease in cases, work life has settled into a “new normal”. Children have returned to in-person school, and the support person has returned to the ultrasound suite. N95s have been replaced by more comfortable surgical masks. Counseling a patient and their partner is no longer accompanied by the same degree of fear of a COVID exposure. But life is still far from my expectation of normal. The smiles after receiving the good news that there is one healthy intrauterine pregnancy with a strong heartbeat are still hidden behind cloth, as is the discomfort of an amniocentesis and the anguish when informed of a lethal fetal diagnosis. The impact that the mask continues to make on my ability to connect with and care for my patients cannot be understated.

As we head into the “terrible twos”, I know the pandemic will continue on and there will continue to be ups and downs. Misinformation regarding vaccination still limits widespread acceptance, but as research continues to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of vaccination, I still hold on to the hope that one day I will again be able to sit in a room with a patient unmasked and take in the unspoken communication I’ve so missed. But in the meantime, I’ll take the “new normal” and make the best of it for myself, my family, my colleagues, and my patients.

Kathy Bligard, MD, MA, FACOG, is a loving mom and third-year maternal-fetal medicine fellow at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO.

Interested in learning more about patient care? Check out the following posts from the Scan: