MBBS Doctors To Perform Ultrasounds After 6 Months Of Training? Radiologists Oppose Move | Here's Why

The Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended providing MBBS doctors with six months of structured training to conduct routine ultrasounds and interpret the reports, as part of efforts to enable early detection of the growing burden of fatty liver disease in the country.

The committee has also proposed installing FibroScan machines at Community Health Centres (CHCs) and carrying out liver disease screening on a mission-mode basis.

Describing point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) as a “modern stethoscope”, the committee highlighted the shortage of radiologists in India, with fewer than 12,000 registered specialists in the country. It noted that a routine ultrasound takes around 20 minutes, adding to the workload of existing specialists.

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The committee has recommended implementing a 14-year-old Supreme Court directive that permits MBBS doctors who have undergone six months of structured training to perform routine ultrasounds and interpret the findings.

74 Per Cent Of Fatty Liver Patients Had Normal Liver Enzymes

According to Apollo Hospitals’ Health of the Nation Report 2026, 74 per cent of the 49,032 people with ultrasound-confirmed fatty liver in the 2025 Pro Health cohort had normal liver enzyme levels.

Nearly six in 10 patients with advanced fatty liver disease also showed normal enzyme levels, highlighting the risk of missing cases if diagnosis relies solely on blood tests.

Radiologists Oppose Recommendation

Radiologists have raised objections to the committee’s recommendation. Dr Sandeep Kavathale, president of the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA), said MBBS doctors are currently not permitted to conduct ultrasounds under the PCPNDT Act. He added that the provision allowing MBBS doctors to perform ultrasounds after six months of training is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

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To address concerns over illegal sex determination, the committee has proposed a dual-firmware system in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and ultrasound machine manufacturers.

However, Dr Kavathale argued that such a system would be technically unfeasible. He said ultrasound machines display all structures beneath the probe, while the continuous movement of a foetus makes it impossible to selectively conceal any particular part.

Radiologists have also opposed strict action over minor paperwork errors under the PCPNDT Act. Meanwhile, the committee has stressed the need to expand POCUS and liver disease screening across primary healthcare centres to tackle the shortage of diagnostic facilities.