Sonography Schools to Expand Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Training

Organizations endorse updated National Education Curriculum

CHICAGO & ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Two medical ultrasound organizations today announced their endorsement of expanded training in Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) under the newly updated National Education Curriculum (NEC) for sonography programs.

“CEUS has transformed how we diagnose and monitor disease, and expansion of CEUS training for sonography students is a critical step forward in ensuring broader patient access to one of the most innovative and patient-friendly advances in diagnostic imaging,” according to a joint statement issued today by the International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS) and Inteleos.

The NEC is a consensus-based curriculum guide developed by a coalition of sonography professional organizations as a framework for sonography training programs across the United States. This guide can also be used by sonographers who are preparing for credentialing examinations.

The new NEC updates follow the recent expansion of the sonographer scope of practice to include a more active role for trained sonographers in the administration of CEUS examinations. The Scope of Practice and Clinical Standards for the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer was updated in 2024 by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS).

“Expanded CEUS training will help prepare the next generation of sonographers to deliver safer, more effective and more patient-centered care,” according to Maria Stanczak, a member of the ICUS board who was instrumental in developing the new CEUS content for general imaging concentrations.

The earlier version of the NEC, adopted in 2016, contained little CEUS training information, which helped slow the adoption of CEUS in the United States compared to Europe and Asia, according to Dr. Jordan Strom, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and an officer of ICUS. Dr. Strom played a leading role in developing the new CEUS content for cardiac concentrations.

CEUS is used to diagnose heart and vascular disease, identify and characterize tumors, monitor chronic gastro-intestinal diseases, evaluate other serious medical conditions and monitor therapy.

CEUS utilizes microbubble ultrasound contrast agents (sometimes called “enhancing agents”) that are infused intravenously during an ultrasound exam to enhance images.

“Ultrasound contrast agents are among the safest of all contrast media,” according to Dr. Strom.

UCAs do not contain iodine or gadolinium, and have not been shown have an effect on thyroid or renal function, he said.

In addition, CEUS does not expose patients or staff to ionizing radiation, and CEUS exams provide highly accurate clinical information in real time so that appropriate therapy can be initiated without delay.

“Training in CEUS during formal sonography education enables students to graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare,” said Hannah Simmons, Director of Global Business Growth at Inteleos.

About ICUS

The International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS) is a nonprofit medical society dedicated to advancing the safe and medically appropriate use of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to improve patient care globally. ICUS membership is free, and there is no charge for the organization’s CME-accredited webinars, newsletters and CEUS resources on its website. To join ICUS and learn more about CEUS, visit www.icus-society.org and download ICUS CONNECT, the free ICUS mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

About Inteleos

Inteleos is a global non-profit dedicated to elevating the standard of global healthcare. By developing rigorous assessments and professional standards across medical imaging and healthcare specialties, Inteleos ensures practitioners demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to deliver safe and effective patient care around the world.