SonoWorld is Dedicated to Linking the Global Ultrasound Community - Recent expansion plans include regional sites

SonoWorld (www.sonoworld.com) is the leading ultrasound education website dedicated to improving the quality of life around the world. Evolving from a small start-up a few years ago to a global resource, the site now has over 2.5 million visitors a year.

Dedicated visionary individuals with a desire to help are behind the efforts, sharing their expertise and knowledge for educating ultrasound professionals both in developing and developed countries. SonoWorld is currently expanding with the launch of regional portals and a new specialty site (SonoWorld Echo).

Since SonoWorld's debut in 2001, the global physician and sonographer communities have expanded their ultrasound knowledge through this free online tool dedicated to communicating all aspects of the profession on an international platform. "I saw there was a need, in both developed and developing countries, for web-based education," said Barry B. Goldberg, MD, chairman of SonoWorld's medical advisory board. "Even in the most remote parts of the world, computers are available."

Dr. Goldberg emphasized that SonoWorld's advisory board is comprised of leaders from every section of the ultrasound profession who bring their expertise to this voluntary position.

Those who log onto SonoWorld find that in just one click they can be transported to the latest ultrasound news, peer-written and reviewed clinical articles as well as technology and product updates. Other content includes textbook chapters and interesting case studies. The result is that clinicians, sonographers and key industry professionals connect for learning and training while also raising their ultrasound awareness level and moving this medical imaging specialty forward.

"The idea is to provide help for those looking to learn or even purchase equipment or need ergonomic or other information; anything related to the ultrasound community," said Dr. Goldberg who has in his professional career spent decades traveling around the world educating physicians and sonographers.

International societies have recognized the benefits of participating in the global SonoWorld community and are contributors of articles and other content. As part of the "Contributing Organizations" program, journal articles are provided courtesy of the sponsoring societies and selected by the editors of the journals they produce. The sharing of these selected articles on SonoWorld provides the contributing journals with exposure to potential subscribers in the global marketplace. A growing number of highly prestigious societies have signed on to partner with SonoWorld, including: the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB), the European Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFUMB), the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM), the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) and the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU).

At the 92nd Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America held in Chicago November 26 through December 1, 2006, SonoWorld showcased a new echocardiography site. The link is found within www.sonoworld.com which features general ultrasound, vascular and Ob/Gyn materials.

The next expansion is dedicated to shaping SonoWorld to meet the needs of individual countries; additions include incorporating all the core educational materials and integrating regionalized information in local languages, such as specific practice guidelines native to the country or region, local events and professional society information.

The first of the dedicated "regional" sites up and running is SonoWorld Europe (www.sonoworldeurope.com) which is in English and under the medical direction of Professor David Cosgrove from London, England. The second regional site is SonoWorld Latin America (www.sonoworldLA.com) which recently launched in both Spanish and Portuguese under the medical direction of Professor Giovanni Cerri from Brazil and Leandro Fernandez, MD from Venezuela. The third planned regional site is SonoWorld India under the medical direction of Professor Mukund Joshi from Mumbai, India. More regional sites are on their way.

Once live, each of the autonomous sites works closely with the regional ultrasound societies in the development of educational and informational content. The groups work in tandem to best serve the needs of ultrasound practitioners in the region while providing direct access to the entire collection of SonoWorld educational materials.

"We have taken information to the world, and the world is using it," Dr. Goldberg said. "All of this material should prove useful in raising the level of patient care by increasing ultrasound knowledge."