title: Short course for focused assessment with sonography for human immunodeficiency virus/tuberculosis: preliminary results in a rural setting in South Africa with high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis.
abstract: In Africa, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is common and poses diagnostic difficulties. Ultrasound is useful to find suggestive signs such as effusions or abdominal lymphadenopathy. Because trained radiologists are scarce in resource-poor settings, even this simple and relatively inexpensive diagnostic tool is frequently unavailable to patients in district hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa. We developed a focused protocol for assessment with sonography for HIV/TB and trained physicians in a rural district hospital in South Africa. In this pilot study, high levels of confidence in identifying specific signs were rapidly achieved and ultrasound was introduced into routine clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Hlabisa Hospital, Hlabisa, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wallrauch
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lessells
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goblirsch
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brunetti
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography