To investigate the quality of abdominal ultrasound sectional images and reports in Anhui Province, identify existing problems, and propose improvement strategies.

In the first quarter of 2025, a total of 183 medical institutions in Anhui Province with ultrasound medicine specialties participated in data reporting through the abdominal ultrasound examination quality control network platform, with strict adherence to patient privacy protection protocols. Each hospital submitted six electronic copies of abdominal ultrasound reports along with corresponding stored images (including 3 hepatobiliary-pancreatic-spleen examinations and 3 urinary system and adrenal gland examinations). Based on the 2022 edition of the Ultrasound Medicine Quality Control Management Standards compiled by the National Ultrasound Medicine Quality Control Center, all reports were analyzed. The following quality metrics were statistically analyzed: the qualified rate of image storage in normal and pathological reports, the omission rate of comprehensive anatomical sections, the body marker rate, and the compliance rate of report documentation. Differences in image storage qualification rates between normal and pathological reports were analyzed using the chi-square test for multiple proportions, and comparisons were performed across four organ groups (liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen) and five organ groups (urinary system and adrenal glands). For pairwise comparisons, the Bonferroni correction was applied. The chi-square test for 2×2 tables was employed to analyze the differences in body mark rates and report documentation compliance rates between the two groups (hepatobiliary-pancreatic-splenic vs urinary-adrenal).

Among 549 hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and splenic cases, the qualified rates of normal report image storage for the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen were 50.78%, 73.76%, 90.07%, and 91.49%, respectively. The qualified rates of image storage for pathological findings in the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen were 54.83%, 42.71%, 66.67%, and 52.14%, respectively. The overall missed image storage rate for hepatobiliary-pancreatic-splenic sections was 34.69%, with a notably higher proportion of missed hepatobiliary sections (44.62%). The body marker rate was 5.46% (30/549). The report documentation compliance rate was 73.22% (402/549). Among 580 cases of urinary tract and adrenal gland examinations, the qualified rates of standard image documentation for normal findings were as follows: kidney 89.86%, ureter 26.36%, bladder 67.39%, prostate 68.48%, and adrenal gland 75.11%. The adequate documentation rates for pathological findings were: kidney 53.14%, ureter 40.01%, bladder 55.47%, prostate 64.26%, and adrenal gland 65.65%. The overall missed capture rate for urinary-adrenal anatomical sections was 39.43%, with ureteral sections accounting for the highest proportion (66.72%). The body marker rate was 8.79% (51/580). Report compliance rate was 72.41% (420/580). The qualified rate of normal report image storage for the liver and biliary system was lower than that for the pancreas and spleen (P<0.001). The qualified rate of normal report image storage for the ureters was lower than that for the kidneys, bladder, prostate, and adrenal glands (P<0.001).

The abdominal ultrasound reports in Anhui Province show a relatively high rate of missing standard liver, biliary system, and ureter scan planes, along with a suboptimal report-writing compliance rate. It is necessary to strengthen quality control training in ultrasonography to improve the diagnostic quality of ultrasound examinations.