Ultraschall Med
DOI: 10.1055/a-2664-6541
Guidelines & Recommendations

Thoracic Ultrasound – EFSUMB Training Recommendations, a position paper

n/a
1   Department of Respiratory Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark (Ringgold ID: RIN11286)
2   Odense Respiratory Research Unit (ODIN), Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences, Odense, Denmark (Ringgold ID: RIN74340)
,
Gabriele Via
3   Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland (Ringgold ID: RIN30723)
,
Damien Basille
4   Department of Respiratory Disease and Critical Care Unit, University Hospital Centre Amiens-Picardie, Amiens, France
5   Chest Ultrasound Working Group (G-ECHO), Société de pneumologie de Langue française, Paris, France (Ringgold ID: RIN559592)
6   AGIR Unit - UR4294, University Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
,
Rahul Bhatnagar
7   Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ringgold ID: RIN1980)
8   Respiratory Department, North Bristol NHS Trust Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ringgold ID: RIN159003)
9   Odense Respirartory Research Unit (ODIN), Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences, Odense, Denmark (Ringgold ID: RIN74340)
,
Christian Jenssen
10   Department for Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland Strausberg/ Wriezen, Wriezen, Germany
11   Brandenburg Institute for Clinical Ultrasound, Medical University Brandenburg, Neuruppin, Germany
,
Lars Konge
12   Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation, Centre for HR & Education, Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark (Ringgold ID: RIN72735)
13   Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (Ringgold ID: RIN4321)
,
Silvia Mongodi
14   Intensive Care Unit 1st, San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy
,
Pia Iben Pietersen
15   Department of Radiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark (Ringgold ID: RIN11286)
,
Helmut Prosch
16   Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria (Ringgold ID: RIN27271)
,
Najib M Rahman
17   Oxford Respiratory Trials Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ringgold ID: RIN6396)
18   Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford NIHR, Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
19   Oxford Chinese Academy of Medicine Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ringgold ID: RIN6396)
,
20   Department of Imaging Sciences, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
21   Department of Radiology, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
,
22   Central Interdisciplinary Sonography, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder Trier, Trier, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN39643)
,
Caroline Ewertsen
23   Department of Radiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen OE, Denmark
› Author Affiliations
Preview

A wide range of medical specialists increasingly use thoracic ultrasound and transthoracic ultrasound-guided interventions in their clinical practice. To ensure high quality and standardized practice across specialties, this position paper of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) describes the training requirements for thoracic ultrasound. The recommendations follow the three EFSUMB competency levels for medical ultrasound practice. Level 1 describes the skills required to perform basic thoracic ultrasound examinations and basic interventions independently, level 2 includes more advanced transthoracic ultrasound diagnostics and guided interventions, while level 3 involves the practice of high-level thoracic ultrasound and use of advanced technologies. Previously, a predefined minimum number of ultrasound examinations has been used to determine competence, but in recent years, a general shift towards competency-based training and assessment has been implemented. For each EFSUMB level, we outline the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for clinical practice.



Publication History

Received: 30 July 2024

Accepted after revision: 23 July 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
23 July 2025

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