[Ultrasound Reporting in Nephrology: Medico-Legal Considerations and Practical Issues]

Ultrasound is nowadays widely used in nephrological practice as a first-line clinical tool. Despite this widespread adoption of the technique, the medico-legal aspects of ultrasound reporting have so far received limited attention, even though the report represents the formal completion of the medical act and the only document endowed with probative value. In the legal context, in fact, the ultrasound examination can be assessed exclusively through what is documented in the report, regardless of the technical quality of the examination itself. The present paper analyzes the main medico-legal aspects of ultrasound reporting, with particular reference to the activity of the nephrologist, focusing on the essential requirements of the report, the most common critical issues with medico-legal relevance, and the implications in terms of professional liability. The role of declaring the limitations of the examination and of structured reporting as possible tools for clinical risk management and professional protection will also be examined.