Welcome to SVS PodChats with Suzanne and Fiona speaking to Jodi Allen (a), Claire Slinger (b) and Sally Richmond (c) about using ultrasound in speech and language therapy clinical assessment.
Ultrasound is an established clinical assessment modality - we are familiar with ultrasound in obstetrics or to assess integrity of the muscle tissue in neurological disease.
Ultrasound of the head and neck is an emerging area of consideration for SLTs in respiratory, voice, and swallowing services, but will it become an important addition to our assessment?
Interpreting the "Magic Eye" images demonstrates the potential of ultrasound for assessment of the larynx in inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO), assessment of the vocal folds after surgery and for assessment of the integrity of the structures important for swallowing.
What is ultrasound and how can it add to the clinical picture?
What is the evidence base for feasibility, utility, reliability and reproducibility?
If this is in the vision for our future practice, what should we do now and what training is available?
Our guests answer these and other questions, outline how they are contributing to building the evidence in collaboration with colleagues across the world, and imagine what the future may hold for the profession and our patients. Follow them on @SltUltrasound
Thanks for listening, all feedback is much appreciated.
Fiona and Suzanne
You can find us at www.svsassociates.co.uk and @_svs_associates
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(a) Senior Speech and Language Therapist, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and NIHR-funded Pre-Clinical Academic Fellow
(b) Consultant Respiratory Speech and Language Therapist, Royal Preston Hospital
(c) Consultant Head and Neck Radiographer, University College London Hospitals
References:
Laryngeal ultrasound paper written by the two radiologists at UCH: https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/rg.2020190160
Recent reviews in swallowing & laryngeal ultrasound :
https://www.scielo.br/pdf/acr/v19n4/en_2317-6431-acr-2317-64312014000300001378.pdf
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0194599820922984
In Press: Utility of Ultrasound in the Assessment of Swallowing & Laryngeal Function: A Rapid Review and Critical Appraisal of the Literature
Journal: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders
About us: Fiona Robinson and Suzanne Slade are HCPC registered Speech and Language Therapists practising in the UK and we educate health professionals in clinical skills in Speech Voice and Swallowing. We collaborate with international experts to create fabulous learning events. We design and deliver bespoke and comprehensive FEES courses for teams online or at your location where circumstances allow. We work with clinicians of all levels of expertise to start and progress FEES competencies in practitioner or supervisor roles and tailor programmes of education and supervision.
Our website blog and SVS PodChats explore current opinion and topics related to speech voice and swallowing with PodChats notes and further resources for some episodes.
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