As a general sonographer, especially if you work with children, paediatric imaging is a very important aspect of your practice. There are many aspects of imaging children which are different from adult imaging. Children present with varied symptomatology than adults. The incidence and prevalence of diseases are also very different from the adult population. It is imperative that you consider the differences in paediatric imaging. This assessment item gives you required knowledge to appreciate various paediatric specific pathologies by collecting a few representative case studies. This assessment item is a collection of paediatric cases that you come across in your everyday practice. The aim of this assessment is for you to collect clinically interesting cases and to reflect upon the role of ultrasound in their management. It enables you to differentiate the clinical appearance, aetiology, and outcomes of advanced ultrasound assessment of paediatric and congenital disease in terms of physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacological factors relevant to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. You can then apply practical skills and critical thinking to advanced clinical assessment and reporting of the paediatric patient. This assessment item will not only enhance your knowledge, communication, cognitive, technical and creative skills but will also help in strengthening your self-management, ethical and professional responsibilities.

The portfolio is a collection of 4 case reports. You are to choose 4 interesting cases from your routine ultrasound practice showing some pathology. If you do not have access to paediatric patients you can source the case and images from any other source as long as you acknowledge the source.

Each case report should address the following: Brief history and presentation of the patient with the clinical question asked. Discussion of other imaging and non-imaging investigations completed at the time of writing this assessment and pre-test diagnosis (with the degree of confidence). Details of the ultrasound examination performed. Discussion of findings of ultrasound and post-test diagnosis and discussion on comparison with pre-test diagnosis. Discussion of further management of the patient.

At least 5 references are to be cited for each case. Each case report should be short and to the point and not more than 1000 words (excluding the reference list). Relevant images (completely anonymised) are to be included. These images should be your own. You can use images from other sources, even the internet, but they MUST be properly referenced. There is no residential school for this unit. Students must successfully pass each individual assessment item in order to pass the unit. Minimum passing marks are 50%.

Each case report will be assessed by considering each of the following: (Detailed marking rubric is available on the unit Moodle site).

Have you presented the case history adequately enough to raise a clinical suspicion or narrow differential diagnosis?

Can you differentiate the clinical appearance, aetiology, and outcomes of advanced ultrasound assessment of paediatric and congenital disease?

Have you included enough relevant detail?

Can you evaluate the physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacological factors relevant to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the paediatric patient?

Can you apply practical skills and critical thinking to advanced clinical assessment and reporting of the paediatric patient?

Have you adequate support from references?

Is your spelling, grammar and use of vocabulary exemplary?

Have you kept to the word limit?

Have you included images of a reasonable quality?

You need a minimum of 50% to pass this assessment

Paediatric imaging is rapidly changing with advancement in technology and a better understanding of paediatric pathologies. As a sonographer, paediatric imaging is a significant part of your practice. Awareness of changing spectrum of imaging technologies and protocols is essential to provide a specialised service that is efficient, modern and keeps up with the current trends. This assessment item requires you to write a detailed report on a clinically relevant topic with the aim to discuss the role of imaging, particularly the new technologies in ultrasound. It requires a detailed description of the clinical appearance, aetiology, and outcomes of advanced ultrasound assessment of paediatric or congenital disease, with evaluation of the physiological, pathophysiological and pharmacological factors relevant to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The emphasis is on evaluating existing and emerging technology, diagnostic parameters, and radiological interventions, especially paediatric ultrasound, based on a review of relevant literature. This assessment will not only enhance your knowledge, communication, cognitive, technical and creative skills but also improve your research capability and ethical and professional responsibilities.

You are to select one topic that interests you clinically, in consultation with the unit coordinator. A decision as to your topic must be concluded, with the unit coordinator agreement, by the end of week 2. Discuss the topic under the following headings (you can add more headings as deemed necessary):

Unstructured abstract (200 words)

A well-stated aim of the assessment. You can use Problem/Patient/Population, Intervention/Indicator, Comparison, Outcome, and Time (PICOT) to construct the aims.

An introduction that includes the typical presentation, aetiology, and epidemiology of the case, with pathophysiology.

Discuss existing and emerging diagnostic technologies, parameters and radiological interventions in paediatric ultrasound in reference to the topic. Evaluate their role and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these procedures.

Conclude by giving your recommendations. You can use tables, figures and graphs to support your discussion.

You can use ultrasound images that must be your own (completely and properly anonymised). If you do not have your own images you can use the images from any other source (imaging or online) but you MUST properly reference the source. You will perform an exhaustive literature search that supports your arguments. The word limit is 3000 (it excludes the abstract, tables, figures, diagrams and reference list). Further information about the assessment is provided on the unit Moodle site and will be discussed in Zoom tutorial sessions.

The assessment will be marked based on: (The detailed marking rubric is available on the unit Moodle page).

Differentiate the clinical appearance, aetiology, and outcomes of advanced ultrasound assessment of paediatric and congenital disease.

Evaluate and present information concerning existing and emerging technologies, diagnostic parameters and radiological interventions in a chosen area of paediatric ultrasound based on an extensive review of relevant literature.

Evaluate the physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacological factors relevant to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the paediatric patient.

You must ask yourself the following: Is the introduction to the case engaging to the audience with a clearly stated aim? Is the description of the case clear and concise whilst giving all the relevant background information?

Have you critically reflected upon and evaluated the imaging and non-imaging investigations in this case?

Does the analysis of the case demonstrate academic rigour, depth, and insight?

Have you done an exhaustive literature search about the current/emerging technologies and new imaging methods in ultrasound available that can be used in the case to advantage?

Is the conclusion concise and clear in its evaluation and summary of the significance of the communication pitfalls and in its vision for your performance development?

Is your spelling, grammar and use of vocabulary exemplary?

Is the sentence structure and language used scientific and easily understandable?

This assessment must be submitted with all identifying factors removed. Identifying factors include such things as patient name, date of birth and clinical site name for example. You must achieve a mark of 50% to pass this assessment. Further details are available on the unit Moodle page along with detailed marking criteria.