title: The Italian MSUS Study Group recommendations for the format and content of the report and documentation in musculoskeletal ultrasonography in rheumatology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to draw up a set of recommendations for the format and content of the musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) report in rheumatology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A panel of rheumatologists, members of the MSUS Study Group of the Italian Society of Rheumatology, met in order to identify the main discrepancies in the MSUS report. A set of 15 recommendations was then defined, aimed at resolving the main discrepancies. They consisted of information about the motivations for the MSUS examination, the equipment, the US modalities and scanning technique, a list of the examined structures and findings, the scoring/grading systems, the number of images and main findings to include and conclusions. Subsequently a Delphi-based procedure was started in order to obtain agreement on a core set of recommendations. Consensus for each recommendation was considered achieved when the percentage of agreement was >75%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three complete rounds were performed. The response rate was 85.2% for the first round, 78.3% for the second and 88.9% for the third. Finally, consensus was obtained for 14 of 15 statements. These 14 statements represent the recommendations of the group for the format and content of the report and documentation in MSUS in rheumatology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To the best of our knowledge, our group has produced the first recommendations for the format and content of the report and documentation in MSUS in rheumatology. The report is an integral part of the MSUS examination and its use in a homogeneous form can help in the correct interpretation of the findings.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy. annamaria.iagnocco@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iagnocco
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cuomo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delle Sedie
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Filippucci
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: Garifallia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakellariou
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Epis
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adinolfi
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: De Lucia
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Geso
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Sabatino
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gabba
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gattamelata
authors.forename: Marwin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Massaro
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massarotti
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perricone
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picerno
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ravagnani
authors.forename: Lucrezia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riente
authors.forename: Crescenzio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scioscia
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Naredo
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippou
mesh_terms: D003697:Delphi Technique; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: recommendations; report; ultrasound