To explore the role of case follow-up in quality control of ultrasound department.

The ultrasound examination cases with pathology reports at Affiliated Dongguan Hospital of Southern Medical University from 2018 to 2019 were followed. The ultrasound diagnosis was compared with the pathology report, and the cases were then divided into the following three types according to the consistency between the ultrasound diagnosis and pathology report: absolutely consistent, basically consistent, and inconsistent. Statistics on the consistent rate were compared among different quarters and years, different sub-specialties, and different titles. Pearson χ² test was used to compare the consistent rate between groups. Then, the PDCA cycle management of breast cases was introduced on the basis of the consistent rate data to improve the diagnosis quality of ultrasound.

The results of case follow-up showed that the overall consistent rate (absolutely and basically consistent rate) in 2019 was significantly higher than that in 2018 (95.1% vs 91.4%, χ²=71.3, P＜0.001). Compared with the data in 2018, the overall consistent rates in the superficial organ sub-specialty group (95.4% vs 93.3%, χ²=6.3, P=0.013), the obstetrics and gynecology sub-specialty group (94.4% vs 89.7%, χ²=44.5, P＜0.001), and the abdominal sub-specialty group in 2019 (90.0% vs 87.3%, χ²=3.0, P=0.089) were significantly improved. Compared with the data in 2018, the diagnostic quality of physicians with senior professional titles remained stable, and there was no statistically significant difference in the absolutely consistent rate, basically consistent rate, or inconsistent rate (P＞0.05); the absolutely consistent rate of intermediate professional titles had no significant change (69.2% vs 69.7%, χ²=0.6, P=0.447), but the basically consistent rate was significantly improved (25.6 % vs 21.2%, χ²=13.8, P＜0.001); and the absolutely consistent rate of junior professional titles increased significantly (69.0 % vs 67.5%, χ²=10.0, P=0.002). After case follow-up was used to guide the PDCA cycle management of breast masses, the malignancy proportion of malignant breast masses in category 4b gradually decreased from 72.7% in the first quarter of 2018 to less than 50%.

Regular follow-up of cases can directly obtain ultrasound diagnostic quality data. Analysis and summary of follow-up data can improve and enhance the level of ultrasound diagnosis. Therefore, case follow-up is one of the important methods for ultrasound quality control.