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What is Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound 2023?
Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound is a 2023 CRC Press textbook by Jan Dodgeon and Gill Harrison. It provides a broad practical overview of clinical sonography, covering ultrasound principles, patient preparation, abdominal, reproductive, obstetric, breast, cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and musculoskeletal imaging, as well as emergency, interventional, and newer ultrasound technologies.
Introduction
Ultrasound is one of the most widely used imaging modalities in clinical practice, and its applications extend across almost every major anatomical system.
Unlike imaging techniques that depend primarily on static images, sonography is a dynamic examination in which image acquisition, optimization, and interpretation occur in real time.
This combination makes ultrasound highly useful but also makes competency strongly dependent on the operator's knowledge and skills.
Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound was written to provide an accessible overview and practical guide to a wide range of ultrasound examinations.
The book is specifically dedicated to sonography and is intended to support learners and practitioners who need to develop their knowledge or encounter examinations and technologies outside their usual area of practice.
The authors, Jan Dodgeon and Gill Harrison, approach ultrasound from a clinical and educational perspective.
The book does not focus solely on obtaining images. Its stated educational aim is broader: readers are expected to understand what they are seeing, interpret findings in real time, determine whether an examination should be extended, and produce clear and clinically useful reports.
This makes the book particularly relevant to sonography students, radiography and medical ultrasound learners, healthcare professionals developing their ultrasound knowledge, and practitioners who need a structured reference covering multiple clinical applications.
It is important, however, to understand the intended role of the book. The authors explicitly state that it provides underpinning knowledge but cannot replace supervised hands-on practice, clinical skills assessment, experience, and continuing audit.
Book Overview
Full title
Edition
Authors
Jan Dodgeon and Gill Harrison. Jan Dodgeon is identified in the book as a former senior lecturer and program leader at the University of Salford and an associate professor at Oslo Metropolitan University. Gill Harrison is identified as a professional officer for ultrasound at the Society and College of Radiographers in London.
Publisher
Publication year
Medical specialty
Diagnostic imaging, clinical ultrasound, and sonography.
Intended audience
The book is aimed particularly at learners and practitioners involved in diagnostic and medical ultrasound, radiography, and healthcare. The foreword specifically highlights sonographers at the beginning of their careers and readers seeking to extend their knowledge.
What This Book Covers
The scope of Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound is one of its defining characteristics. Rather than concentrating on a single organ system, it progresses from fundamental sonographic principles through system-based examinations and finally to emergency, interventional, and emerging technologies.
1. Principles of sonography
The opening chapter establishes the scientific and practical foundations of ultrasound.
It introduces diagnostic ultrasound, ultrasound physics, production and propagation of ultrasound, image formation, probe and transducer technology, image orientation, display formats, Doppler techniques, equipment controls, quality assurance, patient preparation, safety, and reporting.
The book explains concepts including B-mode, M-mode, spectral Doppler, color flow Doppler, power Doppler, elastography, and three-dimensional and four-dimensional displays. It also discusses probe selection, frequency, resolution, attenuation, focusing, gain, and time-gain compensation.
This foundation is important because ultrasound is highly operator-dependent. The book emphasizes that appropriate image acquisition requires the operator to understand the clinical question, select appropriate settings, and recognize the limitations of the modality.
2. Upper abdominal organs
The second chapter covers ultrasound assessment of the following:
- The pancreas
- Liver and biliary system
- Portal venous system
- Spleen
These sections form an important component of general abdominal sonography and introduce the reader to systematic assessment of major upper abdominal structures.
3. Renal tract
The renal tract chapter focuses on:
- Kidneys
- Urinary bladder
The chapter provides a dedicated section for sonographic assessment of these structures and includes references for further reading.
4. Male reproductive system
The male reproductive system chapter covers:
- Transrectal ultrasound of the prostate
- Scrotum and testes
- Penis
The inclusion of transrectal ultrasound and male reproductive imaging gives the book coverage extending beyond routine abdominal and pelvic sonography.
5. Gastrointestinal tract
The gastrointestinal chapter includes:
- Salivary glands
- Adult gastrointestinal tract
- Endoscopic ultrasound
- Neonatal gastrointestinal tract
This is particularly useful for demonstrating the breadth of ultrasound applications across different patient populations and techniques.
6. Endocrine system
The endocrine chapter concentrates on:
- Thyroid gland
- Adrenal glands
This provides dedicated coverage of two important endocrine applications of ultrasound.
7. Female reproductive system
The female reproductive system chapter covers:
- Gynaecological ultrasound
- Hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCoSy)
- Assisted reproduction
The book therefore extends beyond conventional pelvic imaging into ultrasound applications associated with fertility assessment and assisted reproduction.
8. Obstetric ultrasound
Obstetric imaging receives a dedicated chapter with sections covering the following:
- Overview
- Early pregnancy assessment
- First trimester
- Second trimester
- Third trimester
The chapter therefore follows pregnancy across its major ultrasound assessment stages rather than treating obstetric ultrasound as a single examination.
9. Breast ultrasound
Breast imaging includes the following:
- Greyscale ultrasound
- Doppler
- Contrast-enhanced ultrasound
- Elastography
- Volume scanning
This chapter demonstrates how ultrasound technology can extend beyond conventional greyscale imaging in breast assessment.
10. Cardiovascular ultrasound
The cardiovascular chapter is extensive and includes:
- Aorta
- Extracranial arterial supply to the brain
- Peripheral arterial system of the lower limb
- Peripheral arterial system of the upper limb
- Peripheral venous system of the lower limb
- Peripheral venous system of the upper limb
- Echocardiography
- Transoesophageal echocardiography
- Intravascular ultrasound
This makes cardiovascular sonography one of the major components of the book.
11. Respiratory ultrasound
The respiratory chapter focuses on ultrasound assessment of the lungs.
12. Central nervous system: eye and brain
The neurological section covers:
- Ocular ultrasound
- Neonatal brain ultrasound
The inclusion of neonatal brain imaging demonstrates the breadth of the pediatric applications.
13. Musculoskeletal ultrasound
The musculoskeletal chapter covers the following:
- Shoulder
- Elbow
- Wrist and hand
- Paediatric hip
- Knee
- Ankle and foot
- Ultrasound-guided interventions
This provides a broad anatomical framework for musculoskeletal sonography.
14. Emergency and interventional ultrasound
Emergency ultrasound is represented by FAST, while the interventional section addresses ultrasound-guided procedures.
The book discusses ultrasound-guided biopsies and procedures involving organs and tissues, including the liver, kidney, prostate, thyroid, breast, and lymph nodes. It also addresses drainage procedures, joint intervention, and other ultrasound-guided procedures.
15. Additional technologies
The final chapter covers:
- Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)
- Fusion imaging
- Artificial intelligence in ultrasound
These sections introduce technologies that expand the capabilities of conventional sonography.
Key Features
The strongest educational features identifiable from the book include:
- Broad coverage of clinical ultrasound across multiple anatomical systems.
- A dedicated opening chapter explaining the principles of sonography.
- System-based organization of the major clinical applications.
- Discussion of indications and patient preparation.
- Description of imaging procedures.
- Dedicated image-analysis sections addressing common findings.
- Coverage of Doppler techniques.
- Coverage of obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound.
- Cardiovascular, breast, and musculoskeletal applications.
- Emergency ultrasound and FAST.
- Ultrasound-guided interventions.
- Coverage of CEUS, fusion imaging, and artificial intelligence.
- References provided for the individual chapters.
Who Should Read This Book?
Medical students
Medical students interested in diagnostic imaging can use the book to develop a structured understanding of ultrasound terminology, principles, and clinical applications.
The book is specifically designed at a level intended to address learners, and the breadth of topics makes it useful for developing an overview of clinical sonography.
Residents and trainees
Residents and early-career clinicians who encounter ultrasound in clinical practice may benefit from its system-based organization and discussion of indications, procedures, and image analysis.
Sonographers and radiographers
This is the book's most directly targeted professional group. The foreword describes it as a resource for sonographers at the beginning of their careers and for those seeking to expand their knowledge.
Specialists
Specialists may find the broad scope useful when they need to understand ultrasound applications outside their principal area of practice.
The authors specifically describe the book as useful for practitioners asked to scan an area beyond their usual practice or encountering new ultrasound technologies.
Nurses
The book is written for medical, scientific, and healthcare professionals, although it is not presented specifically as a nursing textbook.
Therefore, nurses involved in services where ultrasound is used may find selected sections informative, but the book's principal educational orientation is toward ultrasound and diagnostic imaging practice.
Researchers
The individual chapters contain references, and the authors describe their approach as drawing on both recent evidence and seminal original research. This makes the reference lists potentially useful for readers who want to pursue specific ultrasound topics further.
Exam candidates
The book can support foundational learning and revision of ultrasound concepts, terminology, etiology, and clinical applications. However, the book does not specifically present itself as a dedicated board-examination review book, and no specific examination-preparation claims are established in the available material.
Why This Book is Useful
Clinical relevance
The strongest practical feature is the organization around actual ultrasound examinations. The authors describe a recurring structure involving introduction, referral indications, patient preparation, imaging procedure, and image analysis.
This organization helps connect theoretical knowledge with the practical sequence of an examination.
Evidence-informed approach
The authors state that they sought the latest research while also retaining seminal original research where appropriate. They acknowledge that some references are several years old and explain that publication date alone does not determine whether an important scientific reference remains relevant.
The book also emphasizes that readers should supplement their learning with other evidence-based material and current guidelines as they emerge.
Practical application
The book is especially practical in its attention to patient preparation, imaging technique, equipment settings, image analysis, and reporting.
The opening chapter also addresses clinical reporting and emphasizes that the report should answer the clinical question, interpret the findings, and document relevant limitations where they affect diagnosis.
Learning efficiency
The system-based organization makes the book suitable for targeted reading. A learner can move directly to an anatomical system or clinical application rather than reading the entire book sequentially.
The authors also describe the text as suitable for both learners and practitioners who need to extend their knowledge into areas outside their usual practice.
Board examination usefulness
The book contains substantial foundational and clinical material that can support examination study, but it should not be characterized as a dedicated board-review resource.
Table of Contents Overview
The book contains 15 chapters:
- Principles of sonography
- The upper abdominal organs
- The renal tract
- The male reproductive system
- The gastrointestinal tract
- The endocrine system – thyroid and adrenal glands
- The female reproductive system
- Obstetric ultrasound
- Breast ultrasound
- The cardiovascular system
- The respiratory system – lungs
- The central nervous system – eye and brain
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound
- Emergency and interventional ultrasound
- Additional technologies
The contents also include a foreword, preface, acknowledgements, abbreviations, chapter references, and an index.
Strengths of the Book
Several strengths are apparent from the book's structure and stated objectives.
Broad clinical scope
The book covers a remarkably wide range of ultrasound applications within one volume, from abdominal and pelvic imaging to echocardiography, vascular ultrasound, obstetrics, breast imaging, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and emergency procedures.
Strong connection between theory and practice
The book does not restrict itself to ultrasound physics. It connects underlying principles with patient preparation, examination technique, image interpretation, and reporting.
Emphasis on operator competence
The authors recognize that ultrasound is highly operator-dependent. They emphasize the need for interpretation during the examination and the importance of clinical education and continuing audits.
Coverage of contemporary technologies
CEUS, fusion imaging, and artificial intelligence are included in the final chapter. Fusion imaging is described as combining ultrasound with modalities such as CT, MRI, or PET and can assist with lesion localization for biopsy and therapeutic intervention.
Attention to quality assurance
The book discusses technical quality assurance, equipment checks, and the importance of maintaining image quality and measurement accuracy.
Balanced discussion of ultrasound
The book does not present ultrasound as universally superior. It explicitly discusses limitations, including operator dependence, inability of ultrasound to travel through gas, and reduced performance with greater attenuation. It also compares ultrasound with CT, MRI, and nuclear medicine.
Limitations
The most important limitation is intrinsic to the subject rather than a defect in the textbook: reading about ultrasound cannot substitute for supervised practical training.
The authors explicitly state that the book cannot replace supervised hands-on clinical practice, clinical skills assessment, experience, and continuing audit.
A second consideration is that ultrasound technology and clinical guidance continue to evolve. The authors themselves recommend supplementing the book with current evidence-based writing and guidelines as they emerge.
The book also acknowledges that some references are several years old. The authors deliberately retain seminal research where appropriate, but this means readers should not assume that every referenced recommendation represents the most current clinical guidance.
Comparison With Similar Books
What can be established is the book's distinctive stated positioning: it aims to provide an overview and guide to a wide range of ultrasound examinations, with a level intended to be appropriate for learners while also supporting practitioners who encounter examinations outside their usual practice.
Therefore, rather than claiming that it is superior or inferior to another textbook, it is more accurate to describe Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound as a broad, clinically organized reference that combines foundational sonography principles with system-based examination guidance and newer technologies.
FAQs
Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound is a first-edition 2023 textbook from CRC Press by Jan Dodgeon and Gill Harrison. It provides an overview and practical guide to a wide range of clinical ultrasound examinations.
The book is particularly aimed at learners and practitioners in diagnostic and medical ultrasound, radiography, and healthcare. The foreword specifically identifies sonographers beginning their careers and professionals seeking to expand their knowledge.
It covers ultrasound principles, abdominal, renal, male and female reproductive, gastrointestinal, endocrine, obstetric, breast, cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and musculoskeletal ultrasound, together with emergency, interventional, and additional technologies.
Yes. Doppler techniques are introduced in the principles chapter and applied throughout the book, including cardiovascular and vascular imaging. The book discusses spectral Doppler, color flow Doppler, and power Doppler.
Yes. The obstetric chapter includes an overview, early pregnancy assessment, and dedicated sections for the first, second, and third trimesters.
Yes. The musculoskeletal chapter covers the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand; pediatric hip, knee, ankle, and foot; as well as ultrasound-guided interventions.
Yes. Chapter 14 includes emergency ultrasound with FAST and a dedicated section on interventional ultrasound.
No. The authors explicitly state that the book provides underpinning knowledge but cannot replace supervised hands-on clinical practice, clinical skills assessment, experience, and continuous audit.
Conclusion
Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound is a broad clinical ultrasound textbook designed to connect fundamental sonography knowledge with practical examination of multiple anatomical systems.
Its major educational value lies in its breadth and organization. The reader progresses from the principles of ultrasound through abdominal, renal, reproductive, gastrointestinal, endocrine, obstetric, breast, cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and musculoskeletal applications before reaching emergency ultrasound, interventional procedures, and newer technologies such as CEUS, fusion imaging, and artificial intelligence.
The book is particularly relevant to ultrasound learners, sonographers, radiography professionals, and practitioners who need a structured reference when extending their knowledge into unfamiliar examinations. Its recurring emphasis on indications, preparation, examination procedure, image analysis, and reporting gives the material a practical clinical orientation.
One of its most important messages is that ultrasound competence involves considerably more than acquiring technically acceptable images. Because sonography is dynamic and operator dependent, practitioners must understand the clinical question, optimize the examination, recognize limitations, analyze findings in real time, and communicate clinically meaningful results.
For readers seeking a comprehensive introduction and clinical reference to ultrasound, Clark’s Essential Guide to Clinical Ultrasound offers a substantial foundation. It should, however, be used alongside supervised practical training, continuing professional development, current guidelines, and appropriate clinical governance rather than as a substitute for them.
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