Echoing this sentiment is the ICUS. “If an initial ultrasound scan is done and the image is too grainy, that patient may be referred for alternative imaging such as CT, MR or PET. Typically, there are long waits for those forms of imaging,” said the spokesperson. “If you inject an ultrasound contrast agent, which flows through the bloodstream with the red blood cells and lights up the image, it makes the image clearer and allows you to see things you would not be able to see with conventional ultrasound alone. That can salvage a non-diagnostic ultrasound scan so it may not be necessary to subject patients to what could be redundant, unnecessary, more expensive, and potentially riskier imaging.”

Medical societies supporting the ICUS Petition include the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB), the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU), the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), and the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) working group.


Individual physicians also sent letters in support of the ICUS petition.

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