Overview
This unit is designed to cover the theory and practice of basic soft tissue ultrasound imaging (lower body) and is appropriate for science graduates and allied health professionals wishing to use ultrasound as a focused diagnostic tool at the point of care. The unit will interest students engaged in managing soft tissue injury and pathology, or science graduates interested in lower body musculoskeletal imaging. You will develop knowledge of lower body musculoskeletal ultrasound with emphasis on interpretation of anatomical structures, biomechanics, and pathology. You will differentiate musculoskeletal pathology from that of other body structures. You will apply techniques for obtaining, interpreting and assessing optimised ultrasound images in the university ultrasound scanning facilities.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisitesMEDS20009 Science and Instrumentation of Ultrasound
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Verbal student feedback
Review of texbooks prescribed and supplementary
Continue to utilise the current prescribed textbook however change to the current edition from 2001 to 2007.
- Describe anatomy, biomechanics and pathophysiology specific to the musculoskeletal system of the lower body
- Differentiate normal from abnormal ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system of the lower body
- Apply safe ultrasound techniques to generate and optimise diagnostic images of the musculoskeletal system of the lower body
- Interpret ultrasound images to provide a differential diagnosis, including reference to safety and the diagnostic limitations of ultrasound
- Recommend appropriate management decisions based on the clinical situation, clinical knowledge and ultrasound findings.
The unit will not require external accreditation but will apply to appropriate profession specific bodies for recognition for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) related to Basic Soft Tissue Ultrasound.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Online Test - 0% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 0% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | |||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| 1 - Online Test - 0% | |||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 0% | |||||||||
Textbooks
Ultrasound of the Musculoskeletal System
- Edition: First (2007)
- Authors: Stefano Bianchi and Carlo Martinoli
- Springer-Verlag
- New York New York , New York , USA
- ISBN: 978-3-540-28163-4
- Binding: eBook
Additional Textbook Information
The prescribed text for MEDS20012 is available as a free digital download from CQUniversity library.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Suitable storage media, such as a removeable USB stick (4gb or greater)
- Microphone and camera to attend the Zoom sessions
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
b.goode@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 11 Nov 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapters 3 and 4 of prescribed text available
from the library (digital copy) as a
free download.
Prescribed Textbook
Ultrasound of the Musculoskeletal System (2007) Authors: Stefano Bianchi and Carlo Martinoli.
Additional readings and lectures on
Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Week 2
Begin Date: 18 Nov 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 19 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy).
Additional readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Week 3
Begin Date: 25 Nov 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 12 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy).
Additional readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 02 Dec 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 13 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy).
Additional readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm (AEST).
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 09 Dec 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 16 Dec 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 14 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy).
Additional readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm (AEST).
Week 6
Begin Date: 23 Dec 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 16 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy).
Additional readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 06 Jan 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 17 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy).
Additional readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm (AEST).
Week 8
Begin Date: 13 Jan 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 20 Jan 2020Module/Topic
Residential School
Chapter
Outline of compulsory residential school timetable and assessment tasks specified in Week 9 on the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Residential School
Consult the 'Term Specific' section of the Unit Profile for more information related to the Residential School.
Week 10
Begin Date: 27 Jan 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm (AEST).
Residential School Assessment Task Due: Week 10 Friday (31 Jan 2020) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 11
Begin Date: 03 Feb 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Readings and lectures on Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Wednesday 7:00 pm (AEST).
Week 12
Begin Date: 10 Feb 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online test opens Monday at 9 am (AEST).
Exam Week
Begin Date: 17 Feb 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
MEDS20011 has a Residential School scheduled for Week 9 on Wednesday the 22nd of January. During the Residential school you will receive practical tuition related to ultrasound machine optimization and 'hands-on' sonographic techniques focused upon the lower limb. Attendance at the Residential School is compulsory with aspects of the unit assessment being linked to the images you generate during the Residential School. The Residential School will be conducted at 120 Spencer Street, at the Melbourne campus of CQUniversity. More information related to the residential School structure and timetable will be provided throughout term during the Zoom collaborate sessions.
1 Online Test
Health professionals are required to possess a body of knowledge that is relevant to their scope of practice whereby fundamental knowledge is required to be understood and then be built upon clinically. To demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of this unit you are required to complete an online test.
- This test must be accessed through the assessment tab on Moodle and will comprise 10 questions requiring written responses to be completed in a 90 minute time frame.
- The test will be open from the Monday the 10th of February of Week 12 at 9 am (AEST) and will close the following Monday at 9 am (AEST).
- You will need to allocate a 90 minute period throughout the time the test is open in order to complete the test. Please note: You MUST start the test before 7:30 am (AEST) on Monday 17th February as the test will automatically close at 9 am (AEST) Monday 17th February.
- The test will be open for 90 minutes (allowing 9 minutes per question) with only ONE attempt being allowed.
- Once started the test cannot be paused, stopped, re-started or re-taken.
- Questions will be drawn from a pool of questions to allow each student test to be unique whilst addressing the same learning outcomes for each student. Image viewing questions may be included and you are required to be familiar with normal and pathological sonographic imaging of the areas discussed in this unit.
- As this test is online and open book, you will find it useful if you have produced your own notes from the lectures and tutorials and that you are familiar with the course information.
- You may benefit from having a calculator available when sitting the test.
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. As with all other university examinations, colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct and may lead to action being taken by the University.
Exam Week Monday (17 Feb 2020) 9:00 am AEST
The online test will be automatically uploaded at the completion of the test or once the time limit is reached, whichever occurs first.
Exam Week Friday (21 Feb 2020)
Results will be available in the course Moodle site with feedback.
You must provide short to medium length typed responses to a series of online questions.
Image interpretation questions will be included and you are required to be familiar with both normal and pathological sonographic imaging of the regions discussed in this unit.
The test will comprise 10 questions with each question worth 10 marks (giving a maximum of 100 marks available)
Once started the test cannot be paused, stopped, re-started or re-taken. Questions will be drawn from a pool of questions to allow tests to be different for each student while still addressing the same learning outcomes.
Responses will be assessed according to:
- use of appropriate terminology and descriptors as well as grammar, spelling, relevance of response and competence in addressing all elements of the question
- the student's ability to appropriately interpret sonographic images and then to succinctly compose an appropriate response based on their learning from the unit.
No referencing style is required in the online test.
The test will be open from Monday of Week 12 at 9 am (AEST) and will close on Monday of exam week at 9 am (AEST).
- Describe anatomy, biomechanics and pathophysiology specific to the musculoskeletal system of the lower body
- Differentiate normal from abnormal ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system of the lower body
- Interpret ultrasound images to provide a differential diagnosis, including reference to safety and the diagnostic limitations of ultrasound
- Recommend appropriate management decisions based on the clinical situation, clinical knowledge and ultrasound findings.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Written Assessment
Within your scope of practice as a health practitioner, you will integrate the knowledge and skills learnt in this unit into your clinical decision making. The unit assessment task has been designed to aid you in this process by recording and critiquing your own as well as supplied sonographic images. To successfully complete the written assessment task you will incorporate theoretical knowledge, live scanning and image interpretation. All of which are key skills relevant to your future clinical role incorporating sonography.
In order to successfully complete this unit, attendance is compulsory at the residential school. The residential school will be one day in duration and held on the Wednesday of Week 9 at the Melbourne campus of CQUniversity. The tasks you will perform at the residential school will provide an opportunity for you to develop your knowledge of machine instrumentation and controls under the guidance of your tutor. You will also have the opportunity to begin the development of motor skills necessary for the successful generation of sonographic images of the musculoskeletal system including the use of dynamic assessment techniques.
During the residential school you are required to generate and correctly annotate four images specifically related to the unit content.
These four images will be:
- Transverse greater trochanter depicting gluteus minimus and gluteus medius tendons
- Longitudinal anterior knee depicting quadriceps tendon, patella base and suprapatella bursa
- Longitudinal anterior talo-fibular ligament and,
- Longitudinal plantar plate of the second toe.
- With each image you are required to clearly annotate the anatomical structures and a description of the imaging plane as specified on the marking Rubric found on the unit Moodle site in week one.
- Images will then be saved onto your USB portable storage device.
- The images you generate and label in the residential school combined with the three images provided by the lecturer in week one of the unit Moodle site will need to be converted into a .pdf file to form the basis of your assessment.
Week 10 Friday (31 Jan 2020) 4:00 pm AEST
On-line via Moodle
Week 11 Friday (7 Feb 2020)
Results will be available in the unit Moodle site with feedback.
The residential school assessment task is designed to examine your ability to correctly interpret sonographic anatomy and to critically assess the images you generate with respect to equipment settings and anatomy displayed.
You will also be required to critically assess the image quality of your and the lecturers images with respect to image:
- Depth
- Gain - both overall and focally
- Focal zone position
- Image plane accuracy
- Image accuracy
- Anatomical accuracy
- Image preset appropriate
- Ultrasound probe appropriate.
- Apply safe ultrasound techniques to generate and optimise diagnostic images of the musculoskeletal system of the lower body
- Interpret ultrasound images to provide a differential diagnosis, including reference to safety and the diagnostic limitations of ultrasound
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
