In 2023 experts from around the world contributed to the following fetal cardiac screening guidance. The International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) is a scientific organization that "encourages sound clinical practice and high-quality teaching and research related to diagnostic imaging in women’s healthcare."
The following is yet more content that is not compatible with FASP and the stance of 43% of trusts in England that are not retaining fetal cardiac views.
The ISUOG recommendations provide “a consensus-based approach, from experts, for diagnostic imaging. They are intended to reflect what is considered by ISUOG to be the best practice at the time at which they are issued”.
It is suggested “use of standardized ultrasound protocols …can improve the performance of a screening program”.
ISUOG “recommend archiving of still frames and videoclips, while also considering local/national standards. The examination should be recorded in a manner that will allow subsequent review to verify its diagnostic adequacy, with appropriate patient identification and labeling of image laterality and orientation, when appropriate.”
Concerning quality assurance ISUOG advise; “When assessing quality, it is important to check various aspects of the cardiac screening examination to ensure completeness of information, including the image quality, acquisition of the standard viewing planes, appropriate interpretation of the recommended scanning views and complete documentation”.
“Continual quality assessment is extremely important for obstetrical ultrasound and fetal cardiac screening. An audit policy based on predetermined quality criteria for interpretation and rating of still images or clips is an important tool, the use of which is encouraged and may reduce the number of prenatal diagnostic errors, thus improving timely detection of CHD”
ISUOG “encourages each imaging practice to review annually local detection rates and diagnostic accuracy of CHD and to provide further training as needed”.
The full report is accessible below.
We're shocked at how many other guidelines and recommendations are being ignored by trusts in favour of the non-prescriptive FASP guidance.