This first position paper of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) on professional standards presents a common position across the different medical professions within EFSUMB regarding optimal standards for the performing and reporting of ultrasound examinations by any professional ultrasound operator. It describes general aspects of professionality that ensure procedure quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability in virtually all application fields of medical ultrasound. Recommendations are given related to safety and indication of ultrasound examinations, requirements for examination rooms, structured examination, systematic reporting of results, and management, communication and archiving of ultrasound data. The print version of this article is a short version. The long version is published online.

A wide range of medical specialists increasingly use thoracic ultrasound and transthoracic ultrasound-guided interventions in their clinical practice. To ensure high quality and standardized practice across specialties, this position paper of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) describes the training requirements for thoracic ultrasound. The recommendations follow the three EFSUMB competency levels for medical ultrasound practice. Level 1 describes the skills required to perform basic thoracic ultrasound examinations and basic interventions independently, level 2 includes more advanced transthoracic ultrasound imaging and guided interventions, while level 3 involves the practice of high-level thoracic ultrasound and the use of advanced technologies. Previously, a predefined minimum number of ultrasound examinations was used to determine competence, but in recent years, a general shift towards competency-based training and assessment has been implemented. For each EFSUMB level, we outline the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for clinical practice.

This first position paper of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) on professional standards presents a common position across the different medical professions within EFSUMB regarding optimal standards for the performing and reporting of ultrasound examinations by any professional ultrasound operator. It describes general aspects of professionality that ensure procedure quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability in virtually all application fields of medical ultrasound. Recommendations are given related to safety and indication of ultrasound examinations, requirements for examination rooms, structured examination, systematic reporting of results, and management, communication and archiving of ultrasound data. The print version of this article is a short version. The long version is published online.

Zusammenfassung: Unter Klinischem Ultraschall (ClinUS) wird die Integration der Ultraschalldiagnostik in die klinische Untersuchung verstanden. Diese Übersicht stellt im Vergleich zu anderen Modellen der Ultraschalldiagnostik ein Konzept vor, das Point-of-Care-Ultraschall, die umfassende fachgebietsspezifische Ultraschalluntersuchung, wie auch den spezialisierten multiparametrischen Ultraschall integriert. Insbesondere am Beispiel der Gastroenterologie und der Allgemeinmedizin werden Anwendungen, Vorteile und Herausforderungen des Klinischen Ultraschalls und dessen Besonderheiten im Vergleich zu anderen Schnittbildverfahren diskutiert.

This position paper of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) on professional standards in thoracic ultrasound is a supplement to EFSUMB’s previously published professional standards in medical ultrasound – general aspects. The paper represents a position across the different medical professions within EFSUMB regarding optimal standards for the performing and reporting of thoracic ultrasound examinations by any professional ultrasound practitioner. It describes aspects that ensure procedure quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability in the application of thoracic ultrasound. The paper provides recommendations regarding safety and the indication for thoracic ultrasound examinations, requirements for examination rooms, structured examinations, systematic reporting of results, and the management, communication, and archiving of ultrasound data.

Daylight sonography refers to the technique of using color-tinted, brightness and contrast-controlled B-mode ultrasound images optimized for well-lit environments. Originally introduced as Photopic (“Tageslichtsonographie”, Daylight sonography) by Siemens, this approach addresses the limitations of grayscale imaging under ambient light conditions. With the growing emphasis on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and mobile diagnostics, daylight-compatible imaging modes such as Photopic Mode have become increasingly relevant since they are performed under daylight conditions. This paper explores the technical background, visual physiology, clinical applications, implementation challenges, and future perspectives of daylight sonography, advocating for broader use and standardization. Standardization, further clinical validation, and integration with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are essential to fully realize the potential of daylight sonography in routine practice.