title: Challenges to expanding the clinical application of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) among rheumatologists: from a second survey in Japan.
abstract: Our previous survey in 2008 revealed that only 22% of Japanese rheumatologists used musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) for patient management, because of insufficient educational opportunities. To clarify the current state of MSUS usage and to identify further challenges, we conducted a second survey between October 2010 through January 2011 by sending questionnaires to 200 randomly selected Japanese rheumatologists, consisting of 100 participants in a meeting in 2009 on imaging in rheumatic diseases and 100 board-certified rheumatologists. Among the respondents, a majority (85 and 67%, respectively) used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MSUS users had increased from 32 to 60% of meeting participants and from 11 to 27% of other rheumatologists. The majority of MSUS users had begun using MSUS within the previous 3 years. Whereas most respondents in the previous survey had been self-taught, in the current survey many had attended training courses or had received informal training from skilled users. Despite an increase in skills and equipment ownership, obstacles to implementing MSUS remained, most prominently a lack of time. In conclusion, training courses and informal training have contributed to the popularization of MSUS in Japan. To further increase MSUS usage, additional training opportunities and education about the advantages of MSUS will be needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan.
authors.forename: Maasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hama
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ihata
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Atsuhisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeno
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishigatsubo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult