Scientific foundations for improving the medical, social, and economic effectiveness of ultrasound examinations among the population

This article analyses the medical, social and economic effectiveness of ultrasound examination at the population level and substantiates ways of improving it. A descriptive and analytical review of Cochrane reviews, WHO documents, systematic and scoping reviews from low- and middle-income countries, and national regulatory documents of Uzbekistan was performed. Early pregnancy ultrasound markedly reduced the failure to detect multiple pregnancy by 24 weeks (RR 0.07), ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men reduced aneurysm-related mortality (OR 0.60), and portable devices changed clinical management in resource-limited settings. However, population-level effectiveness depends on appropriate indications and target groups, operator competence and quality assurance, and inappropriate screening may cause overdiagnosis. Economic evidence is scarce and methodologically heterogeneous. Key directions for improvement include evidence-based indications, workforce training and task shifting, referral pathways, and full economic evaluation.