Analysis Paper Rough Draft for Comments

Writing in Diagnostic Medical Sonography 

Alaina L. Rober 

The University of Iowa 

  

Writing in Sonography 

Introduction

Diagnostic medical sonography is a medical field in which sonographers take images with ultrasound equipment and then interpret those images to diagnose various disorders. Writing in the field of sonography is essential for their jobs to run smoothly and efficiently because they have such fast paced jobs that they need to be able to read quickly and understand what they are reading. For this reason it is important for the writing to be clear and to the point with as much description necessary while still getting the point across. Both academic and non academic forms of writing come in a wide variety of topics and genres. 

Academic Writing

Academic writing within the field of sonography contains the research and discoveries of sonographers looking to find answers to questions. Often sonographers are trying to find if there is an easier or more efficient way to diagnose a problem or find if they can diagnose something that ultrasound had never been used for yet. 

Audience

The primary audience of academic journals in sonography is other sonographers, but also medical doctors, registered nurses, and other healthcare professionals who are interested in the research topic of the journal. The journals span a wide range of topics that may appeal to a wide range of audiences within the field. Other professionals may use academic journals to further their own education by learning about the research of others. Medical professionals may also use the research in academic journals to further research of their own by conducting similar research or to support a project that is similar. 

Topic

The topic of academic journals is most often research on sonography treatments or discoveries made in the field. The different topics of the journals have a large variety of topics from the ability to detect neural inflammation with the use of contrast enhanced ultrasound (Volz, Evans, Kanner, Banner, 2016) to the role of ultrasonography in the ability to differentiate liver lesions (Bagley, Paul, Halferty, DiGiacinto, 2017). The structure of these journals is often similar, with an introduction explaining what they are supporting, followed by their methods of testing and explanations of their experiments, then a conclusion that analyzes their results and findings. 

Nonacademic Writing

Nonacademic writing in sonography is more varied than academic writing, ranging from reports on patients and test results to textbooks. The majority of nonacademic writing in sonography is day to day reports and test results explaining the conditions of patients. Although textbooks are not as commonly used, they are equally important because they teach sonography students and allow current sonographers to review so they do not forget the important information they need for their jobs.

Audience

Textbooks are used to teach sonographer students and to further the knowledge of current sonographers. Some textbooks are for more specific branches of sonography, like Ultrasonography of the Upper ExtremityHand and Wrist(Draghi, 2014) while others are broader such as, Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography(Hagen-Ansert, 2018). These textbooks are full of valuable information for students and practicing sonographers because they are always learning. Current sonographers must continue to learn throughout their careers in order to keep their license and ability to practice so these books are equally important for those who have already graduated. 

Patient reports and lab results are read by other sonographers and healthcare professionals so they can understand what is going on with a patient. These documents use professional, medical language to get the point across in a clear and concise way. For example, “Initial mean CIMT was 0.710 mm, at the end of the follow up CIMT was 0.597 mm.” in this report the sonographer used as few words as possible to explain the patient’s situation in a quick and efficient manner (Anabtawi, Patel, Deuschle, Moriarty, 2015). Although sonographers need to be efficient, it is also important that they are effective. Sonographers need to use proper language and grammar to be able to write a clear report. By taking English and medical courses sonographers acquire the language they must use so they do not confuse others who may read their reports (personal communication, August 29, 2018).  Clear writing in reports of patients’ conditions is an essential part of any job especially those in the medical field where there is no room for error.

Topic

Non Academic writing is almost entirely reports, test results, and textbooks. The language within these kinds of writing is very descriptive without being too wordy. For example, “Causes of mitral regurgitation include leaflet and annulus disorders, defective tensor apparatus, and alterations of left ventricular and left atrial size and/or function” (Hagen-Ansert, 2018, p. 863) this excerpt uses very clear medical terms to convey the information in as few words as possible. Non academic writing uses complex medical terms such as “metacarpophalangeal,” “extensor retinaculum,” or “osseofibrous carpal tunnel” to describe parts of the body in the quickest way possible (Draghi, 2014). The use of sonography textbooks is useful for sonographers to learn what complicated terms like these mean.

Some forms of writing are emotionally difficult for the sonographer to document. Occasionally a sonographer will have a patient who has terminal cancer or a fetus with abnormalities that will most likely die at birth, and the sonographer is often the first to know this information. Making it even more difficult, the sonographer can not tell the patient this news  because that is the doctors job, so they have to write it in the report without telling the person. On the other hand, sonographers do come across good news, such as a patient who had cancer then after a more recent scan the sonographer may see that it is no longer there (personal communication, August 29, 2018). Although reports may seem blunt, they often have a considerable amount of emotion behind them.

The structure of non academic writing varies because reports are organized by background, purpose, methods, results, and conclusion whereas textbooks are structured by chapters containing information of different body parts and diseases that can be diagnosed through ultrasound. A report on a patient is split up into these different sections to make the information you need easier to find and identify, despite there being very minimal information in each part. The purpose section, for example, includes the information, “this case study evaluated LA efficacy in lowering atherosclerosisrisk measured by serial CIMT measurements” (Anabtawi, et al, 2015) to minimize the amount of writing that needs to be read through to understand the objective. 

Conclusion

Writing in the field of sonography has many aspects but overall it is important for the writing to be quick and easy to read for their jobs to run as smoothly as possible. Academic writing is very important because it finds new ways to diagnose issues and more problems that can be diagnosed through the use of ultrasounds. Test results and reports must be clear and concise to be read quickly while the reader can still understand what is going on with the patient. Textbooks are detailed and very important for students and employed sonographers alike because those with this career are always learning and relearning. Writing in the field of sonography is an essential part of the day to day job and the field overall because of how much it is depended on to treat and diagnose patients correctly

References 

Anabtawi, Abeer, et al. “Long-Term Follow Up of Bi-Weekly Lipoprotein Apheresis in A Patient           with Elevated Lipoprotein-(a) Shows Regression in Carotid Intima-Media Thickness.”

            Science Direct, Elsvier, 11 June 2015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2015.03.071

Bagley, Jennifer E., et al. “The Use of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography for the 

Characterization of Focal Liver Lesions.” Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 

vol. 33, no. 6, 2017, pp. 500–511., doi:10.1177/8756479317729672.

Digiacinto, Dora, et al. “Bioeffects Reference Tool May Not Improve Sonographers’ Monitoring 

of Mechanical and Thermal Indices in Obstetric Sonography Examinations.” Journal of 

Diagnostic Medical Sonography, vol. 31, no. 3, 2015, pp. 150–157., doi:10.1177/8756479314567308.

Draghi, Ferdinando. Ultrasonography of the Upper Extremity Hand and Wrist. Springer

 International Publishing, 2014.

Hagen-Ansert, Sandra L.Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography. Elsevier, 2018.

Volz, Kevin R., et al. “Exploring Targeted Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound to Detect Neural 

Inflammation.”Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, vol. 32, no. 6, 2016, pp. 

313–323., doi:10.1177/8756479316665865.