Since my first discoveries in 1988 there has been much mis-understanding relative to spine scanning with ultrasound technology.  The basic fact is that my patented protocols hardware set-ups, and machine tunings  must be employed to gain differential diagnostic value, and that is why you need to study "How To" course work.  Weekly I receive missives from doctors who have been employing the technology who I have never met, nor taught.  This puzzles me since you can't just hook up any old transducer, with any old frequency, with any resolution, and set the whole situation any old way and receive information of value from a spine scan.  Additionally, spine scanning differs markedly both in total technique and intent from abdominal (organ) scanning, since the spine is a special "dry" place and certain major advantages are available if one knows "How To".  Thus anytime I read a study claiming "scientific blinded testing" of spine scanning, and I do not recognize the authors as students of mine, I have to wonder how they employed the technology.  Of the billion ways an ultrasound machine can be tuned (literally 1,000,000,000 ways) there is only my one unique protocol which will assure differential signs revealing inflammation verses non-inflamed tissues reliably.  Using this protocol (patented by me) there is a range of excellent to not so good ways to combine transducer and main interpretation/amplifier unit so spine scans with meaning are obtained.  I patented the best ways and combinations.  Outside my protocol  and hardware set-ups there is a huge Universe of ultrasound images with no value and no meaning.  Additionally, ultrasound is classified by the FDA as an adjunctive testing modality, thus it is not a "stand alone" diagnostic.  I have to laugh at some Medical critics who note that ultrasound is not a stand alone, since very few diagnostic tests (MRI, CT, X-ray plain films) are "stand alones".  Plain film X-rays are classified by FDA as "stand alone" only for positive fracture of bone.  They do not even qualify for negative fracture diagnosis since the wrong angle or the wrong Kvp etc. and a fracture is easily missed on plain films.  So don't be impressed by critics, mostly they are laughable perveyors of slightly skewed information with implied meanings which the non-knowledgeable might believe.  EKG has been shown 50% reliable as a stand alone, MRI has zero accuracy as a stand alone for predicting pain and disability, plain films I won't even bother to discuss further.  Just be a good doctor and put all your tests together into a reasonable diagnostic HUMAN opinion, and study hard since ultrasound  USING MY HARD WON PROTOCOLS can give you today's inflammation signs for the spine, can give you answers of great value to fill in the gaps left by hard tissue plain films and semi objective orthopedic testing.  Physical Medicine concurrence of diagnosis between diagnosticians under one State study revealed 6% agreement between practicioners!(Without spine scan advantage.)  Study my course work well and YOU be the doctor who gains the reputation for being right on target accurate everytime, the doctor who can show his patients their own nerves obviously improving under care, muscles relaxing under care, tendon and ligament stresses shown on-screen relieved under care.  You be the doctor with (ultrasound scan) acute objective images of muscle bleeding contra-indicating care, and then perfectly timed administration of physical therapy modalities after the acute muscle phase has passed, so your patients again and again exit successfully with minimal long term permanent partial impairments. I want you to be the top person in your field.  Med index has many articles favorable to spinal ultrasound scanning beyond the science articles which will be included in your textbooks when you engage the course work.  "dandockdc.com" is also an excellent website for science references.  Bear in mind also, where as some Phd. level persons throw doubts and protests out of motives we can only suspect, JURIES LOVE Spine Scan since anyone with any common sense knows ultrasound scanning is a reliable, accurate, imaging technology, it just needs to be employed correctly to see valuable aspects of any and all body tissues.

Any real study should start with:" We employed a _____________ main unit with ______________ transducer, length of transducer ____, width of transducer _____ , and set gains and gamma to emphasize _______________ with sequential contacts points being the _______ palpated anatomical landmarks.  Angulations of a multiple nature were obtained with beam target goals being the ___________, the ______________, and the ____________, structures.  Generally Dr. John D. Reid's protocols were employed by operators trained by John D. Reid D.C. in his patented methods.  Interpretation was accomplished by a radiologist, Dr. ____________, trained and registered by Dr. Reid to recognize signs according to Reid's precepts as available in his textbook Tissue by Tissue and Sign by Sign Review, Diagnostic Implications of Ultrasound Spine Scan (tm.) Signs.

There are over 4,000 ultrasound scan patents on the anterior of the body, there are just a little over one dozen on the posterior of the body, and one of them for the posterior body involves  "Spine Scan "(tm.)  It involved principles unique enough to warrant the granting of a United States Patent with primary claim being: " From 6 cm lateral left to 6 cm. lateral right inclusive and approaching the spine from the posterior aspect with ultrasound scanning equipment.........................."    It was granted this claim and 25 more HUGE claims.  The U.S. Patent office and its experts did not feel any Medical person could simply wrap around from abdominal scanning with abdominal principles employed to posterior spine scanning and accomplish efficacious results.  So read any negative research studies with wisdom and insight, and let's all blow the whistle on poorly done research using untrained personnel.

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