Abdominal Ultrasound Department

1. Discipline Overview

The Department of Abdominal Ultrasound is a tertiary comprehensive department integrating medical care, teaching and scientific research. Since its establishment, it has consistently taken as its working mission "serving patients and clinical practice, promoting the rapid development of ultrasound medicine in the hospital, and benefiting the people," while maintaining and continuously promoting the department ethos of "pioneering, innovative, high-tech, rigorous and low-consumption." In recent years, under the leadership of Director Wang Hongqiao, it has further improved the work environment, optimized patient visit procedures, improved the patient experience, established and continuously strengthened rules and regulations, and achieved leapfrog development in its scale, medical services, specialty structure, academic level, talent training and medical equipment, with gratifying achievements in medical care, teaching and scientific research.

2. Talent Structure

Talent is the wing that enables a department to soar. Since its establishment, our department has always emphasized talent development and the recruitment of outstanding personnel. In recent years, the Department of Ultrasound Medicine has continued to expand and improve its talent team, becoming a high-level medical, teaching and research group with a full range of specialties, headed by master's supervisors and supported by a group of highly qualified young and middle-aged technical professionals. The department currently has 73 medical and nursing staff, including 48 physicians: 6 chief physicians, 8 associate chief physicians, 14 attending physicians and 20 resident physicians. Physicians with intermediate and senior professional titles account for 38.4% of the physician team. There are also 5 nurses and 20 medical assistants. The department has a group of highly educated personnel, including 7 doctors and 31 master's degree holders; those with master's degrees or higher account for 79.2%. It has 9 master's supervisors, each with their own areas of expertise and research direction, and recruits master's students from universities nationwide. To date, it has trained more than 40 master's students in ultrasound medicine. The discipline's talent structure is well balanced, and its academic leaders are in the prime of their careers, showing strong development momentum.

3. Professional Services

To promote balanced and sustained development across specialties, our department follows a "specialty, special disease and specialist" model. Its examination scope covers every tissue and organ except the heart. Based on examination content and the interests and strengths of the examining physicians, the department is divided into 11 related subspecialties, each with its own discipline leader. While ensuring comprehensive development, physicians are encouraged to achieve greater expertise in their respective subspecialties.

(1) Gastrointestinal Ultrasound Subspecialty: Abdominal ultrasound examination includes ultrasound assessment of abdominal organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen and gastrointestinal tract. It can assist in the clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis of many diseases, including fatty liver; cirrhosis; liver abscesses, cysts and hematomas; hepatic hydatid disease; benign and malignant intrahepatic tumors; gallstones, gallbladder polyps and benign and malignant tumors of the biliary tract; acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts and benign and malignant pancreatic tumors; and splenic cysts and benign and malignant splenic tumors. Our gastrointestinal ultrasound service has been operating for many years, examining nearly 300 people per day, and has accumulated extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of related diseases, helping clinicians resolve many difficult and complicated conditions.

(2) Urinary System Ultrasound Subspecialty: Urinary-system ultrasound mainly examines diseases of the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, bladder and prostate, including diffuse renal lesions; renal cysts, abscesses and hematomas; hydronephrosis; renal calculi; renal tuberculosis; renal developmental malformations; benign and malignant renal tumors; ureteral calculi, strictures and tumors; cystitis, bladder diverticula, bladder calculi and bladder tumors; and prostatic hyperplasia and calcifications. Physicians in this subspecialty group frequently collaborate closely with nephrology and urology and have developed several related new technologies and projects, accumulating extensive experience in diagnosing nephrotic syndrome and assessing its complications.

(3) Gynecologic Ultrasound Subspecialty: Gynecologic ultrasound mainly examines the uterus, bilateral adnexa and related pelvic changes or diseases, including various uterine developmental malformations, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, and benign and malignant cervical tumors; follicle monitoring, ovarian cysts and benign and malignant ovarian tumors; and inflammatory lesions in the adnexal region, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammation and pelvic masses. Many gynecologic diseases are affected by hormones and may change substantially over a short period. Ultrasound plays an important role in assessing and monitoring gynecologic diseases and formulating treatment plans. In recent years, our department has also worked with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and made substantial progress in pelvic-floor ultrasound. Transperineal pelvic-floor ultrasound is the only imaging method that can accurately and dynamically observe changes in pelvic-floor anatomy and function as well as surgical mesh and slings. It resolves the inability of transabdominal and intracavitary examinations to dynamically observe changes in pelvic-floor structure and function. Three-dimensional imaging can clearly display the spatial relationship between lesions and surrounding organs; it can dynamically observe lesions and positional changes of the bladder, urethra, uterus, vagina, rectum and anal canal in the anterior, middle and posterior pelvic compartments, as well as injuries to the levator ani, urethral sphincter and anal sphincter. It can also provide quantitative ultrasound assessment of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic-organ prolapse, providing objective imaging evidence for pelvic-floor disease diagnosis and treatment. In addition, pelvic-floor ultrasound can accurately determine the position of the bladder neck and changes in the posterior vesicourethral angle to guide puncture during surgery and assess the tightness of mesh or slings, avoiding bladder injury caused by excessive suspension.

(4) Obstetric Ultrasound Subspecialty: Ultrasound has advantages in obstetrics that cannot be matched by other imaging methods. Our obstetric ultrasound subspecialty has carried out extensive work in ultrasound examinations during early, middle and late pregnancy and undertakes a large proportion of prenatal screening and diagnosis in the peninsula region. With the introduction of the second-child policy, the department has increased investment and emphasis on training and recruiting obstetric ultrasound personnel to prepare for a new birth peak. It is equipped with high-end three-dimensional and four-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic instruments and continually sends physicians to hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other cities for advanced training, updating diagnostic concepts and maintaining close contact with well-known domestic experts to facilitate consultation on various difficult malformations.

(5) Small-Organ Ultrasound Subspecialty: High-frequency ultrasound has excellent resolution and can clearly display, in real time and in multiple planes, morphological changes in superficial tissues. In recent years, the introduction of color Doppler ultrasound, elastography and other technologies has enabled ultrasound to evaluate tissue blood supply and changes in tissue stiffness. Superficial-organ ultrasound mainly examines the thyroid, parathyroids, breasts, salivary glands and superficial lymph nodes, as well as some superficial soft-tissue diseases, including Hashimoto thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, subacute thyroiditis, nodular goiter and thyroid cancer; parathyroid adenoma; fibrocystic breast disease, some breast inflammations and benign and malignant breast tumors; diffuse salivary-gland lesions and benign and malignant salivary-gland tumors; reactive hyperplastic enlargement of superficial lymph nodes, lymphoma and lymph-node tuberculosis; lipoma, soft-tissue hemangioma, various soft-tissue cysts and soft-tissue malignancies. Small-organ ultrasound has a broad scope. Many patients come for examination after inadvertently feeling a "mass" somewhere in their body. Ultrasound can clearly show whether a mass exists and its location, layer, size and relationship with surrounding tissues; it can also assess its growth rate to some extent, provide appropriate treatment recommendations and predict prognosis, resolving patients' concerns to a great extent. In addition, because ultrasound is noninvasive and does not use radiation, it can be repeated and is commonly used to monitor postoperative tumor recurrence and lymph-node metastasis.

(6) Vascular Ultrasound Subspecialty: Ultrasound can clearly display most medium and small arteries and veins throughout the body, from the common carotid and abdominal aorta to the digital arteries and veins of the fingers and toes. Many of our examination rooms are equipped with specialized vascular ultrasound probes that can readily image vessels at different depths and accurately assess stenosis, occlusion, dilation, sclerosis, plaques, tumors and other lesions in vessels at all levels. It can also promptly and accurately diagnose and appropriately assess conditions such as Takayasu arteritis, dissecting aneurysm, true and false aneurysms and varicose veins. Abdominal vascular lesions are also indications for ultrasound, including nutcracker syndrome, cavernous transformation of the portal vein, main renal-artery stenosis, splenic artery aneurysm, superior mesenteric artery syndrome and superior mesenteric artery thrombosis.

(7) Musculoskeletal Subspecialty: Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a relatively young subspecialty and a research and promotion focus in ultrasound in recent years. It was pioneered in our department in 2015, ending the previous complete reliance on large imaging equipment for musculoskeletal-system examinations. We work closely with the Department of Rheumatic and Metabolic Diseases, the Department of Osteoarticular Surgery and other related departments to perform ultrasound diagnosis of many musculoskeletal diseases. We have received one hospital New Technology and New Project Award and gained recognition from related specialties within the hospital. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is real-time, noninvasive, dynamic and multi-angle; can be repeated and is suitable for follow-up; has high resolution; and can display the blood supply of tissues and organs. It can clearly display lesions of the skin, subcutaneous tissues, muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, tendon sheaths, bursae, peripheral nerves and blood vessels, as well as the surrounding fat tissue and connective-tissue spaces. Main applications include: 1) rotator-cuff injuries, rheumatic joint damage and bone erosion; 2) joint, tendon and cartilage involvement in metabolic diseases; 3) the extent and depth of trauma and the relationship between damaged tissue and surrounding tissues (vessels, nerves and ligaments); 4) superficial and intramuscular space-occupying lesions; 5) neuropathies such as nerve entrapment, nerve rupture, abnormal nerve course and infiltrative nerve lesions; and 6) degenerative bone and joint lesions. In recent years, we have also worked with pediatric surgery and hematology experts to assess hemophilic joint lesions, providing substantial help in detecting joint damage and disease changes in patients with hemophilia.

(8) Pediatric Subspecialty: The healthy growth of children is the shared wish of every family. In view of the special nature of pediatrics and to better serve pediatric patients, in 2016 our department sent physicians to Beijing Children's Hospital specifically to study pediatric ultrasound diagnosis and treatment, and in the same year began corresponding work with pediatric surgery and pediatric medicine. Services include cranial ultrasound, superficial-organ ultrasound in children, and abdominal and vascular ultrasound in children, with good diagnostic performance for acute abdomen in infants and young children, abdominal masses, tumors, intussusception, intestinal tumors, liver and kidney tumors, congenital developmental malformations and other conditions. Pediatric ultrasound is noninvasive and free of radiation, making it particularly suitable for long-term follow-up and children who require repeated examinations. To maximize patient satisfaction, we fully consider parents' anxiety: children under 3 years of age can receive care promptly through a green channel. For children and newborns who cannot leave the ward, our department also has portable ultrasound equipment for bedside examinations, helping clinicians understand changes in the child's condition in a timely manner.

(9) Male Reproductive Subspecialty: Today, both life and work pressures are high, and the number of patients with infertility is increasing. Our Department of Abdominal Ultrasound has established a male reproductive subspecialty to focus on male reproductive health and provide scientific assessments for patients with azoospermia, oligospermia and other conditions. It can sensitively detect testicular tumors, tuberculosis, cysts, microlithiasis and other diseases, and can promptly and accurately judge and differentiate testicular torsion, torsion of the testicular appendage, and acute epididymitis/orchitis in children.

(10) Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Subspecialty: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is noninvasive microcirculatory angiography. On the basis of routine ultrasound, an ultrasound contrast agent is injected through a peripheral vein to increase the sensitivity for displaying low-flow and microvessels in human tissues and provide richer and clearer diagnostic information than color Doppler ultrasound. Unlike the contrast agents used in CT, ultrasound contrast agents are nontoxic, do not require a skin test, have no special requirements for liver or kidney function and do not damage liver or kidney function. Main applications include: 1) differentiating benign and malignant nodules in all body regions and organs; 2) detecting organ rupture and bleeding after trauma; 3) follow-up after organ transplantation; 4) localization for needle biopsy; and 5) determining whether vessels have stenosis, occlusion or malformation and evaluating thrombolysis efficacy. In addition, gynecologic hysterosalpingography deserves special mention. The advantage of contrast-enhanced ultrasound hysterosalpingography is that it can determine whether the fallopian tubes are patent without ionizing radiation, which helps protect reproductive cells. In addition to assessing patency, it can also provide a degree of treatment by helping to open fallopian tubes that were originally patent but not unobstructed.

(11) Interventional Ultrasound Subspecialty: Interventional ultrasound involves directly inserting a needle or catheter percutaneously into a lesion, cystic cavity or tubular structure under real-time ultrasound monitoring or guidance. It comprises interventional needle-biopsy diagnosis and interventional treatment. With real-time ultrasound guidance, the operator can observe the needle tip and its path in real time and adjust the insertion direction, greatly improving safety and minimizing unnecessary tissue injury. Interventional ultrasound services include: 1) needle biopsy of soft-tissue lesions throughout the body, for which ultrasound can identify a safe needle path, including lesions of lymph nodes, breast, thyroid, subcutaneous tissue and muscle, liver, spleen, pancreas, abdominal cavity and retroperitoneum; 2) aspiration and catheter drainage of pleural and abdominal effusions; and 3) interventional treatment, including ultrasound-guided alcohol sclerotherapy for liver and kidney cysts, thrombin treatment of pseudoaneurysms by puncture, ultrasound-guided particle implantation and tumor ablation. Our department routinely performs interventional ultrasound diagnosis and treatment every afternoon from Monday through Friday; advance appointment is required.

4. Medical Technology

The three campuses of the Department of Ultrasound Medicine currently have high-end ultrasound diagnostic systems from different manufacturers, most of them internationally recognized brands, including GE in the United States, HITACHI and Aloka in Japan, My Lab in Italy, PHILIP in the Netherlands and SIEMENS in Germany, as well as excellent domestic manufacturers such as Mindray. These instruments all have excellent resolution and their own strengths in different technologies or probe designs. They not only serve clinical care well but also support the department's physicians in conducting in-depth research.

The three campuses currently see nearly 1,500 outpatient visits per day. Amid increasingly busy diagnostic and treatment work, our department follows the patient-centered principle, continuously improves quality and strives to provide patients with high-quality, high-standard ultrasound diagnosis and treatment.

5. Research and Teaching

Our department undertakes teaching for undergraduates and master's students at Qingdao University. With State Council approval, it became an authorized master's-degree institution and a key discipline in Shandong Province. It undertakes 1 National Natural Science Foundation project and multiple research projects of governments at the provincial, municipal and other local levels as well as hospital projects, and its staff have served as chief or deputy editors of 6 books. In recent years, it has published more than 150 academic papers in publicly available domestic journals, with more than 20 indexed by SCI, MED and ISTP. It is also a standardized residency training base of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and currently has 28 physicians undertaking standardized-training teaching tasks, all serious and responsible. Director Wang Hongqiao was among the first group of ultrasound specialty training teachers of the National Health and Family Planning Commission and has extensive teaching experience.

6. Visit Guide

(1) Department Locations

Shinan Campus outpatient clinic: 3rd floor, Isotope Building

Laoshan Campus outpatient clinic: 2nd floor of the outpatient building

West Coast Campus outpatient clinic: 3rd floor of the outpatient building

(2) Consultation Telephone

Shinan Campus: 8291 1536

Laoshan Campus: 8291 3062

West Coast Campus: 8291 9325