Dear Ultrasound Insider,
Rumors have been percolating for years about a link between prenatal ultrasound and the development of autism spectrum disorder in children. But other than anecdotal stories, not much has been proved.
This week a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics generated more headlines on the connection -- but unfortunately not much additional insight. Researchers from Boston Medical Center tracked the rates of autism in more than 400 children who received prenatal ultrasound scans, correlating them with factors such as the number of scans, scan duration, frame rate, and depth of penetration of the ultrasound beam.
Among the factors, only penetration showed a statistically significant association, and even that difference was marginal at best (the autism group had a mean depth of penetration that was 5 mm deeper). The question is whether this finding of a relatively minor association will get blown out of proportion in the lay press.
If anything, the new study demonstrates the safety of ultrasound for prenatal use. Read more by clicking here.
In other news, wouldn't it be great if there was an objective way to measure one's progress toward mastering a skill? Researchers from Stanford University say that for the task of reading ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia images, there is: eye-tracking technology. Rather than using subjective measures such as self-assessment or multiple-choice tests, eye tracking can be used to evaluate ultrasound interpretation expertise by comparing the gaze patterns of experts and trainees. Learn more in our Insider Exclusive.
After you've finished those articles, also take a look at what else is going on in our Ultrasound Community:
- Why is Zika hard to detect on ultrasound and MRI? Learn what researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle discovered.
- Find out why it's safe to track low-risk thyroid nodules with ultrasound.
- Read why 2018 will be a strong year for the ultrasound market.
- Discover just how 3D power Doppler can help detect fetal growth restriction.
If you have a comment or report to share about any aspect of ultrasound imaging, I invite you to contact me.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
