Supplementary Data. Questionnaires Translated Into English

Supplementary data. Questionnaires translated into English.

1. Demographics

u How old are you? (years; 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, ≥60)

u Which is your specialty? (rheumatologist, orthopaedist, others)

u How long is your clinical experience? (years; ≤10, 10-19, 20-29, ≥30)

u Where do you work mainly? (clinic, hospital)

u When you work in a hospital, how many beds dose the hospital have? (≤100, 101-300, 301-500, ≥501)

u How many board certified rheumatologists of the Japan College of Rheumatology (including you) are there in your hospital/clinic? (1, 2, 3, 4-5, 6-10, ≥11)

u Do you know MSUS in rheumatology? (Yes, No)

u Do you know MRI in rheumatology? (Yes, No)

u Do you think that MSUS is useful in rheumatology? (most useful, moderate useful, a little useful, not quite useful, not useful, least useful)

u Do you think that MRI is useful in rheumatology? (most useful, moderate useful, a little useful, not quite useful, not useful, least useful)

u Do you use MSUS? (Yes, No)

u Do you use MRI? (Yes, No)

u Who perform MSUS? (by myself, other doctor, medical technologist)

u How long have you been using MSUS? (years; 0-1, 2-3, 4-5, >5)

u Why do you not use MSUS? Please check all that apply. (lack of training, cost of equipment, lack of time, radiology service considered sufficient, others)

2. education and training

u How did you (or did MSUS performer) learn MSUS? (self-taught, training course, informal training, others)

u What kind of training course did you attend? (free answer)

u Who taught you MSUS? (rheumatologist, medical technologist, orthopaedist, radiologist, others)

u What do you think about the following MSUS educational methods?

(most useful, moderate useful, a little useful, not quite useful, not useful, least useful)

Ø Learning from experts in MSUS

Ø Training course

Ø DVD

Ø Textbook

Ø Website

Ø Anatomical chart

u In Europe there are various MSUS training courses in rheumatology. Which form of course do you think is appropriate in Japan? (regular training sessions, concentrated intensive courses, MSUS courses of other countries)

u Who do you think is the best teacher for MSUS? (experienced rheumatologist, experienced medical technologist, experienced radiologist, qualified person (e.g. teacher trained by ‘Teach the Teachers’ training course))

3. current practice

u What are the indications for MSUS? Please check all that apply. (study, clinical, tenosynovitis, synovitis, enthesitis, erosion, carpal tunnel, soft tissue tumor, cartilage damage, aspiration/injection, disease monitoring)

u Which sites do you use MSUS to examine? Please check all that apply. (shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger, hip, knee, ankle, toe, tendon, soft tissue, others)

u Do you think that US guided aspirations and injections are useful? (Yes, No, unable to determine)

u How long does it take from an order for investigation to perform MSUS? (the same day, 2-3 days, 4-7 days, more than a week)

4. Equipment

u How is the overall environment to perform MSUS in your hospital/clinic? (appropriate, not appropriate)

u Do you have own US equipment? (Yes, Share with others)

u Do you have any plan to adopt MSUS equipment in the future? (Yes, No)

u Do you want to adopt MSUS equipment in the future? (Yes, No)

u Do you think that MSUS equipment is too expensive? (Yes, No)

u Is there enough time to perform MSUS? (Yes, No)

u Is there enough manpower to perform MSUS? (Yes, No)

5. opinion about MSUS

u Do you want to attend MSUS training courses? (Yes, No)

u Do you think rheumatologists should be given the qualification to perform MSUS? (Yes, No, Unable to determine)

u Do you think that MSUS evaluation methods need to be standardised? (Yes, No, Unable to determine)