Evaluation on the Effectiveness of Short-term Teaching in the Standardized Training and Examining System of Thyroid Nodule Ultrasound

  Objective  The purpose of this study was to explore the value of short-term training in the standardized training and examining system of thyroid nodule ultrasound.

  Methods  We prospectively recruited trainees who were trained in the Department of Ultrasound, Peking Union Medical College Hospital in December 2017, and then assessed using the standardized training and examining system of thyroid nodule ultrasound. The ultrasonic characteristics and malignant risk classification of thyroid nodules were investigated. The scores were automatically recorded by the system. The training part of the system was then used for corresponding training. After twelve hours and one month, the system was used again to evaluate all participants, and the differences in scores before and after training were compared.

  Results  A total of 12 participants were enrolled in this study, and all had received professional training in the ultrasonic diagnosis of thyroid diseases. The results of thyroid nodule reading were significantly improved after 12 hours and one month(80.7±7.3 vs. 69.9±4.0, P < 0.01;78.0±9.2 vs. 69.9±4.0, P < 0.05). The diagnostic ability of recognition of ultrasonic features and thyroid node classification was improved (P < 0.05). Compared with the results 12 hours after training, the diagnostic level of thyroid nodule ultrasound did not drop significantly one month later (P> 0.05).

  Conclusions  The standardized training and examining system of thyroid nodule ultrasound can improve trainees' ability to diagnose thyroid nodules with ultrasound in a short time, and at the same time, it provides new teaching methods for the standardization process of thyroid ultrasound in the future.