title: Do clinical practitioners seeking credentialing for nuchal translucency measurement demonstrate compliance with biosafety recommendations? Experience of the Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate compliance with the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle by practitioners seeking credentialing for nuchal translucency (NT) measurement between 11 and 14 weeks' gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program credentialing requires quantitative scoring of 5 NT measurements from 5 different fetuses. Images submitted by 100 consecutive practitioners were retrospectively evaluated for the output display standard (ODS). The thermal index (TI) type (bone [TIb] or soft tissue [TIs]) and numeric value of the index were recorded. The TIb was considered the correct index for this study. Compliance with the numeric value was evaluated in several ways. Collectively, a TIb lower than 0.5 was considered optimal, lower than 0.7 compliant, and 1.0 or lower satisfactory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An ODS was present in at least 1 image submitted by 77 practitioners. The TIb was used exclusively by 15 (19.5%), the TIs by 37 (48.1%), and 25 used a combination of the TIb and TIs. Only 4 of 77 providers (5%) used the correct TI type (TIb) at lower than 0.5 for all submitted images, 5 of 77 (6%) at lower than 0.7, and 9 of 77 (12%) at 1.0 or lower. A TI (TIb or TIs) higher than 1.0 was used by 15 of 77 providers (19.5%). Proficiency in NT measurement and educational background (physician or sonographer) did not influence compliance with ALARA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians seeking credentialing in NT do not demonstrate compliance with the recommended use of the TIb in monitoring acoustic output.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program, Perinatal Quality Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA (J.S.); Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York USA (K.F.); and Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York USA (L.L.T.). bbsono@aol.com.
authors: Bryann
authors: B
authors: Bromley
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program, Perinatal Quality Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA (J.S.); Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York USA (K.F.); and Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York USA (L.L.T.).
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Spitz
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program, Perinatal Quality Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA (J.S.); Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York USA (K.F.); and Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York USA (L.L.T.).
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Fuchs
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA (B.B.); Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program, Perinatal Quality Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA (J.S.); Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York USA (K.F.); and Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York USA (L.L.T.).
authors: Loralei L
authors: LL
authors: Thornburg
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003406:Credentialing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012449:Safety
keywords: ALARA; Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program; biosafety; fetal sonography; nuchal translucency; thermal index; ultrasound education