Name: providing visual biofeedback using brightness mode ultrasound during a golf swing
Uploaded: 2022-08-25T14:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Providing Visual Biofeedback Using Brightness Mode Ultrasound During a Golf Swing at JoVE.com

The present protocol was part of a study approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Central Florida. Informed consent was received from all human participants for the present study. To be included in the study, participants had to be between 18 years and 75 years of age, play golf at least once per month for the past year or once per week for the past 2 months, have played golf for at least 2 years, and have had at least two episodes of low back pain in the past 12 months. The exclusion criteria were...

<ol>
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Providing ultrasound biofeedback following a rotation-based sports movement such as a golf swing can be used to increase the muscle thickness of the lateral abdominal wall. As shown in the representative results, a single trial of ultrasound biofeedback can lead to short-term increases in oblique muscle activity throughout a golf swing.
Previous research has also used B-mode ultrasound secured with an elastic belt during dynamic tasks20. This was measured while individu...

The muscles of the lateral abdominal wall include the external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis. The external obliques perform lateral flexion and contralateral&#160;trunk rotation, while the internal obliques perform ipsilateral&#160;trunk rotation. The transverse abdominis is the deepest layer of the abdominal musculature, and it functions to increase intra-abdominal pressure and increase the segmental stability of the spine1. The proper function of these muscles is important to reduce low back pain risk and improve athletic performance as core stability allows for increased strength and power through the extremities2.
During sports with an emphasis on trunk rotation, such as golf, tennis, baseball, or softball, there is a high demand for the core muscles. For example, during a golf swing, the obliques on the trail side of the body peak at 64% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) when measured using surface electromyography, while the lead obliques peak at 54% MVIC3. Trunk rotation is a key contributor to the distance and accuracy of golf shots4. The stresses of the golf swing and the high demand for core muscle activity may contribute to low back pain, which is the most common injury in golf5. Additionally, in elite golfers with low back pain, the timing of external oblique activity is delayed during the golf swing compared to healthy individuals6. Another study using electromyography found golfers with low back pain have an earlier onset of the erector spinae than golfers without low back pain7, suggesting a focus on anterolateral muscles may be beneficial. Therefore, measuring the extent and timing of abdominal muscle activity during a golf swing is important to improve performance and reduce the risk of low back pain.
Rehabilitative ultrasound is commonly used to assess lateral abdominal wall muscles due to the layered nature of this musculature8,9,10. There is no difference in transverse abdominis activation in college golfers with and without low back pain in the supine position or in a more functional golf swing setup position11. However, transverse abdominis activity is only one component of a golf swing, and rotation may be more important for this population. Previous literature has used an elastic belt and foam block to secure the ultrasound transducer to the abdomen, allowing for ultrasound assessment of the core musculature during dynamic movement such as a single leg squat or gait8. Applying ultrasound during dynamic movements has been shown to have acceptable to excellent reliability12. This technique can be applied to measure thickness changes in the lateral abdominal wall during a golf swing or other sport-specific task. While surface electromyography is commonly used to measure the electrical activity of muscles, this is less feasible in the abdominal region. The layered anatomy leads to cross-talk between the muscles and does not allow for a visual representation of the individual muscle layers of the core13. Ultrasound provides an advantage over alternatives like surface electromyography for the core musculature because it allows for a representation of each individual muscle while also giving an image for feedback14.
Since ultrasound provides an image of the muscles of interest in real time, it can also be used as a tool for visual biofeedback. Ultrasound biofeedback has improved the ability to increase the muscle thickness of the transverse abdominis and lumbar multifidus compared to verbal cueing alone15,16. Additionally, in golfers with and without low back pain, real-time ultrasound biofeedback increases transverse abdominis thickness in supine and in the golf-setup position11. Biofeedback training in supine also translates to upright loaded tasks17. More research is needed to determine the required frequency and duration of biofeedback training, as most studies are single-session or short-term training protocols15. Since ultrasound has been applied during functional tasks and there is evidence that golfers can increase deep muscle pre-activation in the setup position, research should next investigate the use of ultrasound biofeedback to increase oblique muscle thickness during the golf swing.
Therefore, this methodology aims to use ultrasound as a feedback mechanism to improve the activation and timing of the abdominal obliques during the golf swing.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Aquasonic 100</td>
			<td>Parker</td>
			<td>BT-025-0037L</td>
			<td>Ultrasound gel</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GE NextGen Logig e Ultrasound Unit</td>
			<td>GE Healthcare</td>
			<td>HR48382AR</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Linear Array Probe</td>
			<td>GE Healthcare</td>
			<td>H48062AB</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Velcro straps</td>
			<td>VELCRO</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Fasteners for the elastic belt used to secure the ultrasound transducer</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

providing visual biofeedback using brightness mode ultrasound during a golf swing

Using ultrasound biofeedback in conjunction with verbal cueing can increase muscle thickness more than verbal cueing alone and may augment traditional rehabilitation techniques in an athletic, physically active population. Brightness mode (B-mode) ultrasound can be applied using frame-by-frame analysis synchronized with video to understand muscle thickness changes during these dynamic tasks. Visual biofeedback with ultrasound has been established in static positions for the muscles of the lateral abdominal wall. However, by securing the transducer to the abdomen using an elastic belt and foam block, biofeedback can be applied during more specific tasks prevalent in lifetime sports, such as golf. To analyze muscle activity during a golf swing, muscle thickness changes can be compared. The thickness must increase throughout the task, indicating that the muscle is more active. This methodology allows clinicians to immediately replay ultrasound videos for patients as a visual tool to instruct proper activity of the muscles of interest. For example, ultrasound can be used to target the external and internal obliques, which play an important role in swinging a golf club or any other rotational sport or activity. This methodology aims to increase oblique muscle thickness during the golf swing. Additionally, the timing of muscle contraction can be targeted by instructing the patient to contract the abdominal muscles at specific time points, such as the beginning of the downswing, with the goal of improving muscle firing patterns during tasks.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td>Non-feedback</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Biofeedback</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Swing Duration</td>
			<td>External Oblique Thickness (cm)</td>
			<td>Internal Oblique Thickness (cm)</td>
			<td>Combined Oblique Thickness (cm)</td>
			<td>External Oblique Thickness (cm)</stron...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Providing Visual Biofeedback Using Brightness Mode Ultrasound During a Golf Swing at JoVE.com

Providing Visual Biofeedback Using Brightness Mode Ultrasound During a Golf Swing

Brightness mode ultrasound can be used to provide visual biofeedback of the muscles of the lateral abdominal wall during a golf swing. Post-swing visual and verbal instruction can increase the muscle activation and timing of the external and internal obliques.

Using ultrasound biofeedback in conjunction with verbal cueing can increase muscle thickness more than verbal cueing alone and may augment traditional ...

Ultrasound biofeedback can help increase activation and timing of the core muscles, which is important both for sport performance and for reducing risk of injuries like low back pain. A main advantage of using ultrasound for biofeedback is that it provides a real-time image. This image, along with verbal cues, can help patients use their muscles properly.This method can also be applied directly to other rotational movements, like a baseball or softball swing, or a tennis forehand. To begin, open and turn on the ultrasound device using the on/off button. Then press the patient button on the keyboard to add a new patient, and select New Patient on the left side of the screen.Enter the desired patient ID number, ensure MSK is selected as the exam type, and click on Register. Exit to begin the exam, and enter B-mode. Position the linear array transducer in the elastic belt by placing the head of the linear transducer through a horizontal slit in the middle of the belt.Next, apply one to two foam blocks to secure the transducer in its place. Apply ultrasound gel to the linear transducer. Position the transducer on the lateral abdominal wall, approximately 10 centimeters lateral to the umbilicus.Secure the belt to the participant using the hook and loop fasteners, ensuring that the belt is tight enough so that the transducer is secured perpendicular to the lateral abdominal wall. Adjust the depth and gain of the ultrasound if necessary to obtain a clear image of the fascia borders and muscle thickness of the external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis, ensuring that the fascia border of the transverse abdominis is visible on the edge of the screen in this longitudinal view. Once the image is clear, position the patient in a manner that mirrors the task they will complete, such as make them stand in their set-up position if they perform a golf swing.Then press Freeze, then Store to capture a static image. Save it to the patient's exam and measure in real-time or access it later to measure the resting muscle thickness. Select Freeze again to return to live imaging.Press Store to begin recording in B-mode video. Provide the verbal cuing or instruction following each attempt, while adjusting the cuing as needed. On the bottom right corner of the screen, check that a timer begins and is highlighted in bright green, indicating that a video is being captured.Press Store again to end the video and save it to their exam. If the image becomes blurry, adjust the positioning of the ultrasound probe within the foam block as needed. After each trial, review the video for image clarity and if the image becomes anechoic at any point, it indicates that the ultrasound probe moved during the swing.Exclude the trial and re-measure. Following each swing have the patient positioned where they can view the ultrasound screen. Open the first resting image to measure.Using the cursor, hover over the desired image from the library below the active image and click on Enter. Click on Measure once to open the measurement tool and then click on Enter when the cursor is over the superior fascia border of the muscle of interest. Click on Enter again once the cursor is over the inferior fascia border.Once the desired number of videos have been captured, open the first video to be processed. Using the cursor, hover over the desired image from the library below the active image and click on the Enter button. Adjust the viewing frame within the B-mode video until the first frame is reached and determine the desired sampling rate.Once there is the desired frame open, use the Measure tool by clicking the button once to open the tool. Place the cursor on the superior fascia border of the muscle of interest and click on Enter to place the first end of the measurement. Drag the measurement line to the inferior fascia border of the muscle of interest and click on Enter again to complete the measurement.Then press Store to save the measured image. Record the measurement in a spreadsheet organized to include participant or patient name/number, frame number, and thickness measurements. Return to the original B-mode video frame and scroll to the next frame to be analyzed.Repeat the measurement steps until all the desired frames are measured. To determine the activation ratio at a specific time point, measure the thickness as demonstrated previously and divide this value by the resting image thickness. To determine whether the combined oblique thickness increased at the 50%time point when biofeedback was provided, activation ratios were calculated.The non-bio feedback trial shows a thickness of 1.685, while biofeedback has a value of 1.739. Thus it can be inferred that the biofeedback led to a small increase in oblique muscle activation at the 50%duration of the golf swing. With ultrasound biofeedback, it's important to be able to use lay terms to help the patient understand the image.Explain that the goal is to rotate through their core to produce power. Following this procedure, we can also look at muscle thickness of the transverse abdominis. This can show us a patient's deep core muscle activity and spinal stability during dynamic movements.

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Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

The Institute of Medicine has targeted patient-centeredness as an important area of quality improvement. A major dimension of patient-centeredness is respect for patient's values, preferences, and expressed needs. Yet specific approaches to gaining this understanding and translating it to quality care in the clinical setting are lacking. From a patient perspective quality is not a simple concept but is best understood in terms of five dimensions: technical outcomes; decision-making efficiency; amenities and convenience; information and emotional support; and overall patient satisfaction. Failure to consider quality from this five-pronged perspective results in a focus on medical outcomes, without considering the processes central to quality from the patient's perspective and vital to achieving good outcomes. In this paper, we argue for applying the concept of fair process in clinical settings. Fair process involves using a collaborative approach to exploring diagnostic issues and treatments with patients, explaining the rationale for decisions, setting expectations about roles and responsibilities, and implementing a core plan and ongoing evaluation. Fair process opens the door to bringing patient expertise into the clinical setting and the work of developing health care goals and strategies. This paper provides a step by step illustration of an innovative visual approach, called photovoice or photo-elicitation, to achieve fair process in clinical work with acquired brain injury survivors and others living with chronic health conditions. Applying this visual tool and methodology in the clinical setting will enhance patient-provider communication; engage patients as partners in identifying challenges, strengths, goals, and strategies; and support evaluation of progress over time. Asking patients to bring visuals of their lives into the clinical interaction can help to illuminate gaps in clinical knowledge, forge better therapeutic relationships with patients living with chronic conditions such as brain injury, and identify patient-centered goals and possibilities for healing. The process illustrated here can be used by clinicians, (primary care physicians, rehabilitation therapists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychologists, and others) working with people living with chronic conditions such as acquired brain injury, mental illness, physical disabilities, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, or post-traumatic stress, and by leaders of support groups for the types of patients described above and their family members or caregivers.

This paper illustrates an innovative visual approach (photovoice or photo-elicitation) to achieve fair process in clinical care for patients living with chronic health conditions, illuminate gaps in clinical knowledge, forge better therapeutic relationships, and identify patient-centered goals and possibilities for healing.

The Institute of Medicine has targeted patient-centeredness as an important area of quality improvement. A major dimension of patient-centeredness is ...

DNBS/TNBS Colitis Models: Providing Insights Into Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Effects of Dietary Fat

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including Crohn&#39;s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, have long been associated with a genetic basis, and more recently host immune responses to microbial and environmental agents. Dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis allows one to study the pathogenesis of IBD associated environmental triggers such as stress and diet, the effects of potential therapies, and the mechanisms underlying intestinal inflammation and mucosal injury. In this paper, we investigated the effects of dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids on the colonic mucosal inflammatory response to DNBS-induced colitis in rats. All rats were fed identical diets with the exception of different types of fatty acids [safflower oil (SO), canola oil (CO), or fish oil (FO)] for three&#160;weeks prior to exposure to intrarectal DNBS. Control rats given intrarectal ethanol continued gaining weight over the 5 day study, whereas, DNBS-treated rats fed lipid diets all lost weight with FO and CO fed rats demonstrating significant weight loss by 48&#160;hr and rats fed SO by 72&#160;hr. Weight gain resumed after 72&#160;hr post DNBS, and by 5 days post DNBS, the FO group had a higher body weight than SO or CO groups. Colonic sections collected 5&#160;days post DNBS-treatment showed focal ulceration, crypt destruction, goblet cell depletion, and mucosal infiltration of both acute and chronic inflammatory cells that differed in severity among diet groups. The SO fed group showed the most severe damage followed by the CO, and FO fed groups that showed the mildest degree of tissue injury. Similarly, colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, a marker of neutrophil activity was significantly higher in SO followed by CO fed rats, with FO fed rats having significantly lower MPO activity. These results demonstrate the use of DNBS-induced colitis, as outlined in this protocol, to determine the impact of diet in the pathogenesis of IBD.

DNBS/TNBS induced colitis offers an alternative and inexpensive method to study the pathobiology of inflammatory bowel disease. The protocol discussed in this paper outlines the successful application of DNBS to induce colitis in mice and rats and allows one to thoroughly study host-mediated intestinal responses.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including Crohn&#39;s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, have long been associated with a genetic basis, and more recently ...

Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound

We present a protocol for measuring in vivo aortic stiffness in mice using high-resolution ultrasound imaging. Aortic diameter is measured by ultrasound and aortic blood pressure is measured invasively with a solid-state pressure catheter. Blood pressure is raised then lowered incrementally by intravenous infusion of vasoactive drugs phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside. Aortic diameter is measured for each pressure step to characterize the pressure-diameter relationship of the ascending aorta. Stiffness indices derived from the pressure-diameter relationship can be calculated from the data collected. Calculation of arterial compliance is described in this protocol.
This technique can be used to investigate mechanisms underlying increased aortic stiffness associated with cardiovascular disease and aging. The technique produces a physiologically relevant measure of stiffness compared to ex vivo approaches because physiological influences on aortic stiffness are incorporated in the measurement. The primary limitation of this technique is the measurement error introduced from the movement of the aorta during the cardiac cycle. This motion can be compensated by adjusting the location of the probe with the aortic movement as well as making multiple measurements of the aortic pressure-diameter relationship and expanding the experimental group size.

Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound

We describe a technique for measuring aortic stiffness from its pressure-diameter relationship in vivo in mice. Aortic diameter is recorded by ultrasound and aortic pressure is measured invasively with a solid-state pressure catheter. Blood pressure is changed incrementally and the resulting diameter is measured.

We present a protocol for measuring in vivo aortic stiffness in mice using high-resolution ultrasound imaging. Aortic diameter is measured by ultrasound ...

In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma

Microglia, which are CNS-resident neuroimmune cells, transform their morphology and size in response to CNS damage, switching to an activated state with distinct functions and gene expression profiles. The roles of microglial activation in health, injury and disease remain incompletely understood due to their dynamic and complex regulation in response to changes in their microenvironment. Thus, it is critical to non-invasively monitor and analyze changes in microglial activation over time in the intact organism. In vivo studies of microglial activation have been delayed by technical limitations to tracking microglial behavior without altering the CNS environment. This has been particularly challenging during chronic neurodegeneration, where long-term changes must be tracked. The retina, a CNS organ amenable to non-invasive live imaging, offers a powerful system to visualize and characterize the dynamics of microglia activation during chronic disorders.
This protocol outlines methods for long-term, in vivo imaging of retinal microglia, using confocal ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) and CX3CR1GFP/+ reporter mice, to visualize microglia with cellular resolution. Also, we describe methods to quantify monthly changes in cell activation and density in large cell subsets (200-300 cells per retina). We confirm the use of somal area as a useful metric for live tracking of microglial activation in the retina by applying automated threshold-based morphometric analysis of in vivo images. We use these live image acquisition and analyses strategies to monitor the dynamic changes in microglial activation and microgliosis during early stages of retinal neurodegeneration in a mouse model of chronic glaucoma. This approach should be useful to investigate the contributions of microglia to neuronal and axonal decline in chronic CNS disorders that affect the retina and optic nerve.

In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma

Microglia activation and microgliosis are key responses to chronic neurodegeneration. Here, we present methods for in vivo, long-term visualization of retinal CX3CR1-GFP+ microglial cells by confocal ophthalmoscopy, and for threshold and morphometric analyses to identify and quantify their activation. We monitor microglial changes during early stages of age-related glaucoma.

Microglia, which are CNS-resident neuroimmune cells, transform their morphology and size in response to CNS damage, switching to an activated state with ...

Muscle Function Obtained with Motion Mode Ultrasound and Surface Electromyography during Core Endurance Exercise

Motion mode (M-mode) ultrasound allows researchers and clinicians to measure the change of muscle thickness across time. Muscle thickness can be measured between fascial borders at a given time point during an exercise. This selected time point produces a one-dimensional image resulting in real-time, live observation of anatomy. Ultrasound used during functional movement can be referred to as dynamic ultrasound; this is feasible and reliable with the use of a linear transducer, elastic belt, and foam block to secure consistent transducer placement. The lateral abdominal wall is commonly investigated using ultrasound due to the overlapping nature of the muscles. Surface electromyography (sEMG) can complement M-mode ultrasound imaging because it measures the electrical representation of muscle activation. There is minimal evidence using M-mode ultrasound and sEMG simultaneously during core exercise. Exercises that challenge the core musculature involve both isometric holds (e.g., side plank), as well as oscillatory extremity movements (e.g., dead bug). In this study, both instruments will be used simultaneously to measure core muscle function during exercise. Ultrasound measurements will be obtained using a linear transducer and ultrasound unit, and sEMG measurements will be acquired from a wireless sEMG system. To make comparisons between participants and exercises, normalization methods using static, exercise starting positions for both instruments will be used. An activation ratio will be used for ultrasound and calculated by dividing the contracted thickness (thickness during a time point of exercise) by the rested (starting position) thickness. Muscle thickness will be measured in centimeters from the superior inferior fascial border to inferior superior fascial border. These methods aim to offer an innovative and practical measurement of muscle function with M-mode ultrasound and sEMG during core endurance exercises.

This protocol uses motion mode ultrasound and surface electromyography simultaneously to measure muscle function of the core. Muscle thickness and activation of the local stabilizers (e.g., transverse abdominis, internal oblique) and global movers (e.g., external oblique) is achievable during specific time points of the side plank and dead bug exercises.

Motion mode (M-mode) ultrasound allows researchers and clinicians to measure the change of muscle thickness across time. Muscle thickness can be measured ...

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge

A preload challenge (PC) is a clinical maneuver that, first, increases the cardiac filling (i.e., preload) and, second, calculates the change in cardiac output. Fundamentally, a PC is a bedside approach for testing the Frank-Starling-Sarnoff (i.e., "cardiac function") curve. Normally, this curve has a steep slope such that a small change in the cardiac preload generates a large change in the stroke volume (SV) or cardiac output. However, in various disease states, the slope of this relationship flattens such that increasing the volume into the heart leads to little rise in the SV. In this pathological scenario, additional cardiac preload (e.g., intravenous fluid) is unlikely to be physiologically effective and could lead to harm if organ congestion evolves. Therefore, inferring both the cardiac preload and output is clinically useful as it may guide intravenous (IV) fluid resuscitation. Accordingly, the goal of this protocol is to describe a method for contemporaneously tracking the surrogates of cardiac preload and output using a novel, wireless, wearable ultrasound during a well-validated preload challenge.

The Frank-Starling-Sarnoff curve is clinically important and describes the relationship between cardiac preload and output. This report illustrates a novel method of simultaneous jugular venous and carotid arterial Doppler velocimetry as transient surrogates of cardiac preload and output, respectively; this approach is enabled by wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound.

A preload challenge (PC) is a clinical maneuver that, first, increases the cardiac filling (i.e., preload) and, second, calculates the change in cardiac ...

Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Review of Ultrasound Parameters for Predicting Difficult Airways

Airway management remains a crucial part of perioperative care. The conventional approach to assessing potentially difficult airways emphasizes the LEMON method, which looks for and evaluates the Mallampati classification, signs of obstruction, and neck mobility. Clinical findings help predict a higher likelihood of difficult tracheal intubation, but no clinical result reliably excludes difficult intubation. Ultrasound as an adjunct to clinical examination can provide the clinician with a dynamic anatomical airway assessment, which is impossible with clinical examination alone. In the hands of anesthesiologists, ultrasound is becoming more popular in the perioperative period. This method is particularly applicable for identifying proper endotracheal tube positioning in specific patient populations, such as those who are morbidly obese and patients with head and neck cancer or trauma. The focus is on identifying the normal anatomy, correctly positioning the endotracheal tube, and refining the parameters that predict difficult intubation. Several ultrasound measurements are clinical indicators of difficult direct laryngoscopy in the literature. A meta-analysis revealed that the distance from the skin to the epiglottis (DSE) is most associated with a difficult laryngoscopy. An ultrasound of the airway could be applied in routine practice as an adjunct to the clinical examination. A full stomach, rapid sequence intubation, gross visual anatomical abnormalities, and restricted neck flexibility prevent using ultrasound to assess the airway. The airway evaluation is performed with a linear array transducer of 12-4 MHz, with the patient in the supine position, with no pillow, and with the head and neck in a neutral position. The central axis of the neck is where the ultrasound parameters are measured. These image acquisitions guide the standard ultrasound examination of the airway.

A point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a simple, non-invasive, and portable tool that enables dynamic airway assessment. Several studies have attempted to determine the role of ultrasound parameters as an adjunct to clinical examination in predicting difficult laryngoscopies.

Airway management remains a crucial part of perioperative care. The conventional approach to assessing potentially difficult airways emphasizes the LEMON ...

Reduction of Radiation Exposure during Endovascular Treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease Combining Fiber Optic RealShape Technology and Intravascular Ultrasound

Vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists face chronic exposure to low-dose radiation during endovascular procedures, which may impact their health in the long term due to their stochastic effects. The presented case shows the feasibility and efficacy of combining Fiber Optic RealShape (FORS) technology and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to reduce operator exposure during the endovascular treatment of obstructive peripheral arterial disease (PAD). 
FORS technology enables real-time, three-dimensional visualization of the full shape of guidewires and catheters, embedded with optical fibers that use laser light instead of fluoroscopy. Hereby, radiation exposure is reduced, and spatial perception is improved while navigating during endovascular procedures. IVUS has the capacity to optimally define vessel dimensions. Combining FORS and IVUS in a patient with iliac in-stent restenosis, as shown in this case report, enables passage of the stenosis and pre- and post-percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) plaque assessment (diameter improvement and morphology), with a minimum dose of radiation and zero contrast agent. The aim of this article is to describe the method of combining FORS and IVUS stepwise, to show the potential of merging both techniques in view of reducing radiation exposure and improving navigation tasks and treatment success during the endovascular procedure for the treatment of PAD.

Described here is a stepwise method of combining Fiber Optic RealShape technology and intravascular ultrasound to show the potential of merging both techniques, in view of the reduction of radiation exposure and improvement of navigation tasks and treatment success during an endovascular procedure for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease.

Vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists face chronic exposure to low-dose radiation during endovascular procedures, which may impact their ...

Ultrasound in Evaluating Diaphragm Dysfunction and Monitoring Treatment

Measuring Diaphragm Thickness and Function Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound

The diaphragm is the main component of the respiratory muscle pump. Diaphragm dysfunction can cause dyspnea and exercise intolerance, and predisposes affected individuals to respiratory failure. In mechanically ventilated patients, the diaphragm is susceptible to atrophy and dysfunction through disuse and other mechanisms. This contributes to failure to wean and poor long-term clinical outcomes. Point-of-care ultrasound provides a valid and reproducible method for evaluating diaphragm thickness and contractile activity (thickening fraction during inspiration) that can be readily employed by clinicians and researchers alike. This article presents best practices for measuring diaphragm thickness and quantifying diaphragm thickening during tidal breathing or maximal inspiration. Once mastered, this technique can be used to diagnose and prognosticate diaphragm dysfunction, and guide and monitor response to treatment over time in both healthy individuals and acute or chronically ill patients.

Author Spotlight: Unraveling the Impact of Mechanical Ventilation on Diaphragm Function and Patient Outcomes 

Diaphragm thickness and function can be assessed in healthy individuals and critically ill patients using point-of-care ultrasound. This technique offers an accurate, reproducible, feasible, and well-tolerated method for evaluating diaphragm structure and function.

The diaphragm is the main component of the respiratory muscle pump. Diaphragm dysfunction can cause dyspnea and exercise intolerance, and predisposes ...

Integrating Transesophageal Ultrasound with an Echoendobronchoscope

Using the Endoscope for Endobronchial Ultrasound in the Esophagus

EUS-B is a procedure using the echoendobronchoscope in the esophagus and stomach. The procedure is a minimally invasive, safe, and feasible approach that pulmonologists can use to visualize and biopsy structures adjacent to the esophagus and stomach. EUS-B gives access to many structures of which some may also be reached by EBUS (mediastinal lymph nodes, lung or pleural tumors, pericardial fluid) while others cannot be reached such as retroperitoneal lymph nodes, ascites, and lesions in the liver, pancreas or left adrenal gland. The procedure is a pulmonologist- and patient- friendly version of the gastroenterologists' EUS using the thin EBUS endoscope that the pulmonologist already masters. Thus EUS-B training should be easy and a natural continuation of EBUS. With the patient under conscious sedation and in the supine position, the echoendoscope is introduced either through the nostril or mouth into the oropharynx. Then the patient is encouraged to swallow while the endoscope is slowly bent posteriorly and introduced into the esophagus and stomach. Using the ultrasonic image, the operator identifies the six landmarks by EUS-B and EUS: the left liver lobe, abdominal aorta (with the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery), left adrenal gland, and mediastinal lymph node stations 7, 4L, and 4R. Biopsies can be taken from suspected lesions under real-time ultrasonographic guidance- fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) using a technique similar to that used with EBUS-TBNA. The biopsy order is M1b-M1a-N3-N2-N1-T (M = metastasis, N = lymph node, T = tumor) to avoid iatrogenic upstaging. Pre- and post-procedural observation is similar to that of bronchoscopy. EUS-B is safe and feasible in the hands of experienced interventional pulmonologists and provides a significant expansion of the diagnostic possibilities in providing safe, fast, and thorough diagnosis and staging of lung cancer.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Biopsy Techniques with Transesophageal Ultrasound

Transesophageal ultrasound (EUS-B) is a safe and feasible procedure using the echoendobronchoscope (EBUS) in esophagus and stomach. After identifying six anatomical landmarks, additional structures can be identified and biopsied, sparing subsequent diagnostic sessions. Thus, EUS-B is an ideal continuation of bronchoscopy and EBUS in diagnosing lung cancer and other diseases.

EUS-B is a procedure using the echoendobronchoscope in the esophagus and stomach. The procedure is a minimally invasive, safe, and feasible approach that ...