Welcome to the first issue of 2021 put together by the hard-working editorial team at the British Medical Ultrasound Society. We have recruited four new members to the team: Nick Dudley, principal physicist at United Lincolnshire Hospitals, UK; Penny Moores, consultant sonographer at James Paget University Hospitals, UK; Stavros Daoukas, lecturer in physiotherapy and sport rehabilitation at London South Bank University, UK; and Amal Alsalamah, obstetric and gynaecological specialist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. Their expertise will ensure the continued quality of publications. Considering submissions to the journal roughly doubled last year compared with 2019, if the trend continues, I anticipate they will have plenty to do.
Three deputy editors stepped down from their roles at the end of 2020. They were Sean Cournane, Fang Cheng and Trudy Sevens. Many thanks indeed for their hard work over recent years and for their decision to continue as editorial board members, meaning we may still utilise their knowledge and experience. I also welcome four new experts to the Board: Samantha Thomas, Peter Hoskins, Chris Harvey and Nikos Milliaropoulos. Their backgrounds in obstetrics, sonographer practice, professional issues, Doppler physics, elastography, CEUS, radiology and MSK will be very valuable indeed as the journal moves forward into 2021.
In this issue, we feature two back to back articles on errors in foetal measurements. First, Dudley discusses measurement variation in obstetric ultrasound and its potential impact on foetal management. Importantly, he explains ways to mitigate these errors, which include training, audit and QA. Second, Dudley and coauthor Varley explore different estimated foetal weight (EFW) growth curves and demonstrate surprising variation. They conclude that a new reliable EFW formula and standardisation of circumference measurements are essential to minimise error and aid obstetric management decisions.
A team from the USA offers an excellent article on the value of a lower limb phantom for training practitioners in venous anatomy and DVT scanning technique. Although the number of participants is small, the project is well thought out and paves the way for larger studies. Robertson shares a novel pilot investigating how a Patient Decision Aid can help a man with an abdominal aortic aneurysm decide which screening interval is best for him. The implications of her results from both a patient perspective and service provider perspective are far reaching and certainly warrant a larger study.
Luntsi et al. investigate the relationship between the main, right and left portal vein diameter in 100 healthy adults and 100 with chronic liver disease. To summarise, findings may suggest the older you are and the sicker you are, the wider the portal vein and its branches. Next up is a study very much reflecting our times and culture. Alsafi and Alsafi investigate the growing use of a social media platform for ultrasound education and try to separate educational content from social postings. Aderotimi and Kraft provide a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated pictorial essay on paediatric adrenal glands.
There are two case reports in this issue. Satyam et al. describe prevalence, ultrasound appearances and management of Caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy, which serves as a useful reminder to those working in early pregnancy units, especially since the condition is on the rise. The authors suggest a transvaginal scan at 11 to 14 weeks may be warranted for women most at risk. Tung et al. present a novel use of PoCUS in the emergency department. Using a combination of cervical radiography and PoCUS during dynamic arm manoeuvres, they were able to diagnose neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome in a young man. Finally, don’t forget to take a look at Echoes at the back.