Benefits of Surgeon-Performed Office-Based Ultrasonography

Background and Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of ultrasonography performed by a surgeon rather than a radiologist.Subjects and Method This retrospective study enrolled 122 cases of ultrasonography performed by a head and neck surgeon and 116 cases of the same examination performed by a radiologist before surgery. The time intervals between the first visit and surgery were compared in both groups.Results The average waiting time for surgery after the first hospital visit was significantly reduced when a surgeon performed the ultrasound examination. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in sampling inadequacy rate on thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) between FNA performed by a head and neck surgeon and a radiologist.Conclusion Surgeons can utilize ultrasound as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in an office-based setting. For patients, diagnosis and treatment provided by a single doctor will lead to more efficient outcomes.