It's Time for Small "PAUSE"- Pitfall Analyses of Ultrasonographic Examinations: A Thought to Ponder for Clinicians

In this era of technology, lots of emphasis is given to imaging technology as ultrasonography, which is increasingly becoming popular as a diagnostic modality in almost all fields of medicine, without realizing its inherent errors. Errors in radiology are uncomfortably common with the adjudged rate of 3-5% as studies revealed and much higher rates have been reported in many targeted studies (Lee et al., 2013). Ultrasonography is a useful tool, when considered along with the clinical features of patient. A majority of errors in radiology can affect the subsequent diagnosis and treatment of a patient. In case of an abnormality, not explained clinically, a second opinion from another radiologist or a discussion between clinician and radiologist may help to eliminate errors in diagnosis. In this article, we demonstrate the common sources of diagnostic possible errors and pitfalls in ultrasound based diagnosis through a literature search involving the incidence of events, the ways they can be categorized to aid understanding, and contributing factors, both human and system-based errors. Possible approach to minimize errors is contemplated to ensure better patient management and treatment outcomes.