ABSTRACT
Ultrasound (US) was born of tragedy. With the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, scientists around the world became interested in developing technology that would allow vessels to locate and avoid icebergs and other maritime impediments. Pulsed Doppler applications were developed in the mid-1970s which resulted in the introduction of vascular US. Technology has continued to progress at rapid pace allowing for the development of more compact probes, higher resolution images, and software to create 3-dimensional imagery. Medical and surgical specialists alike have embraced US in clinical practice, finding it to be indispensable for diagnostic purposes and for facilitation of invasive procedures. Compact US machines have become ubiquitous in hospital and outpatient clinics. Surgical and medical specialists regarded thecriteria as too restrictive and many set out to devise their own standards of competence for purposes of credentialing. Nonradiologists began looking for models by which they might develop criteria unique to the use of US in their area of interest.
