Cardiac Ultrasound

Goals and Objectives

Obtain 4 basic cardiac views

  • Parasternal Long Axis
  • Parasternal Short Axis at the papillary muscles
  • Apical 4 chamber
  • Subcostal View

Assessment of global LV systolic function

  • Qualitative categorization: normal, hyperdynamic, moderately reduced, severely reduced
  • Qualitative and quantitative assessment of EPSS

Pericardial Effusion

  • Identification of effusions in the pericardium vs pleural

RV strain

  • Qualitative assessment of RV size
  • Paradoxical shaped septum (D shaped LV)

Required Reading

  • Introduction to Bedside Ultrasound
    • Volume 1: Chapter 2: Basic Cardiac
    • Volume 2: Chapter 1, Section 5: Estimating EF with EPSS
  • Cardiac US

Optional Reading