Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Diagnostic-Interventional Ultrasound II

Diagnostic-Interventional Ultrasound II
4
15849
1
Annual
OB
Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,

Teaching staff


Dr. GUARNER ARGENTE, Carlos - cguarner@uic.es

For specific questions regarding course content, exercises, assessment activities, etc.:

For general questions regarding the programme, enrolment, payments, etc.:

Introduction

The healthcare services sector in the 21st century is one of the fields undergoing the most significant changes and innovation. Technological advances are particularly noteworthy, with the incorporation of specific applications aimed at improving diagnostic imaging, minimally invasive interventions, therapeutic procedures, and healthcare management.

Endoscopic Ultrasonography (EUS), as a diagnostic, interventional, and therapeutic procedure, is one of these major advances. The emergence of this advanced digestive endoscopy technique has created a significant training challenge within the medical community. Learning this technique requires knowledge from different medical specialties, including gastroenterology, oncology, general and digestive surgery, and radiology, as well as specific training in echo-anatomy and practical sessions in a recognised referral unit under the supervision of an experienced mentor.

International guidelines, including the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), discourage self-directed learning and recommend training rotations in referral centres and participation in specialised courses. However, the availability of specific training courses in EUS remains limited.

Therefore, the development and design of specialised training courses in EUS is justified in order to provide an academic response to the growing demand for training in this endoscopic technique, which involves a demanding learning curve.

Pre-course requirements

There are no prerequisites

Objectives

To acquire the theoretical and practical foundations required to perform EUS effectively and safely for diagnostic purposes in hepatobiliopancreatic diseases, through the teaching materials provided or recommended for physicians who wish to advance their specialisation and professional development in this advanced digestive endoscopy technique.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • Acquire basic knowledge of the EUS technique: indications, limitations, and associated medical conditions.
  • Interpret EUS images and develop clinical judgment. Engage in direct interaction and discussion with EUS experts.
  • Begin practical training in EUS and apply the knowledge acquired through in-person seminars and live cases.

Learning outcomes of the subject

The study and understanding of the clinical foundations of EUS are essential and fundamental in order to understand the remaining subjects. Through this course, the student will be able to:

i) Acquire basic knowledge of the EUS technique.

ii) Understand the clinical indications for EUS in benign biliopancreatic diseases.

iii) Understand the clinical indications for EUS in premalignant and malignant biliopancreatic diseases.

iv) Understand the clinical indications for EUS in endohepatology.

Syllabus

This course is equivalent to 4 ECTS credits and is delivered online from 11/01/2027 to 24/01/2027.

  1. Introduction and course objectives.
  2. Study of benign biliopancreatic diseases.
  3. Study of malignant biliopancreatic diseases.
  4. Strategic approach to pancreatic cystic lesions.
  5. Endohepatology: EUS-guided liver biopsy and portal pressure measurement.
  6. Key points.
  7. Recommended bibliography.
The primary language of instruction is Spanish, though some slides or resources may be in English at the professor's discretion. In the case of guest international speakers, sessions may be conducted in English.  

Teaching and learning activities

Online



The course methodology consists of students reading all the teaching materials provided for the course and completing the corresponding assessment activities.

Evaluation systems and criteria

Online



  • This course is delivered entirely online.
  • Assessment will be carried out through a multiple-choice questionnaire, which will account for 100% of the final course grade.
  • Submission of the assessment activity/examination for this course within the designated period is mandatory. Submissions outside the established deadlines will not be accepted.
  • Assessment activities must be completed individually, unless otherwise indicated by the lecturer/consultant. Group study and cooperative work can be useful and effective study strategies; however, this does not imply that copies or duplicated submissions are permitted in assessment activities, even when students have worked together. The assessment system is entirely ad personam and, therefore, strictly individual. Consequently, the submission of an activity that has been copied from or duplicated by another student or students, whether from the same class or from another class within the same area of knowledge, will result in the activity being considered not submitted (NS) for all students involved, regardless of the relationship between them. Likewise, if duplication is detected in an activity, the entire continuous assessment process will be reviewed, and the same criterion will be applied to all activities that do not meet the requirement of individual completion. If such an incident is detected, the lecturer/consultant will notify the student or students concerned through a message sent to their personal mailbox.
  • Exercises must be submitted within the established deadline. No extensions will be granted.
  • The instructions, requirements, estimated time needed to complete each assessment activity, and marking criteria will be specified within the corresponding exercise.
  • In order to undertake the final practical course, On-site Technical-Clinical Sessions, students must have successfully completed at least 4 of the 6 previous theoretical courses.
    • If a student fails or does not attend 2 of these 6 courses, the Master's Programme Management will assess the most appropriate option for the student to complete a new assessment activity as a second attempt only for the affected courses, thereby enabling the student to undertake the practical course. This new assessment activity will be graded as 0 if failed, 5 if passed, or NS if not submitted. In the latter case (NS), the Programme Management reserves the right to assess the individual circumstances and determine the final resolution regarding the student's academic record, as students are required to complete and pass ALL assessments and courses in order to obtain the qualification.
    • Students who fail to pass the minimum requirement of 4 courses will not be eligible for a second attempt in any of the failed courses. They will therefore be required to enrol again in all courses not successfully completed during the following academic year, in accordance with the fees established for the new academic year.

Bibliography and resources

It is detailed in the documentation provided for the course.

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