The following point-of-care ultrasound courses are recommended for you based on what we know about your interests. You can follow the suggested curriculum, or explore other materials at your own pace. To view other available courses, click the courses button at the top of this page.
Point of care Transesophageal Ultrasound (TEU) is an emerging modality that offers bedside clinicians the ability to assess critically ill patients quickly. A Transesophageal Echocardiogram, or TEE, is an alternative way to perform an echocardiogram. A specialized transducer containing an ultrasound transducer at its tip is passed into the patient's esophagus. This allows image and Doppler evaluation which can be recorded.
After completing the aorta ultrasound course, participants should be able to: identify the anatomical structures visualized during the aorta examination, recognize the various types of abdominal aortic aneurysms and perform their associated measurements, and determine the preferred transducer to perform the aorta exam.
How do you angle the transducer to get a Parasternal Long Axis (PLAX) view of the heart in the Emergency Department? Which kind of transducer should you use? How is the cardiology orientation different? And how, exactly, do you measure fluid responsiveness using the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC)?
Cardiac Imaging 1 introduces these questions (and answers!), and much more. Develop an understanding of how emergency medicine and cardiology applications differ, and test your knowledge of different views of the heart.
There are a number of different data points that can be collected that inform us of the function and loading conditions of the Right Ventricle (RV): Shape and size of the RV, Inferior Vena Cava (IVC), Tricuspid Angular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE), and Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure (RVSP).
Doppler echocardiography is the language of flow in and around the heart. In order to evaluate hemodynamics in and around cardiac valves, cardiac pressures or in the calculation of Stroke Volume (SV), one must speak the language of Doppler.
This introduction to Doppler principles and how they relate to point-of-care echocardiography will frame the knowledge you need to engage some particularly valuable hemodynamic techniques!
Determination of Stroke Volume (SV) is perhaps the most essential of all the “advanced” techniques for point-of-care echocardiography. It’s considered advanced, because it relies on quantitative spectral Doppler techniques, which are not routinely part of the core point-of-care echocardiography curricula offered for most specialties at the time of this publication. This technique is the most practical and intuitive gateway to hemodynamic understanding of echocardiography and is a powerful adjunct in the assessment of Left Ventricular (LV) function.
This course will compare Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) and Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), outline clinical questions with point-of-care TEE, describe how to get started with TEE (politics, cost, logistics), discuss safety and training, review a suggested TEE protocol, and give several case examples using TEE.
This course will outline a 4-step process for evaluating valve function.
Step 1: 2D evaluation of the valve (eyeball method)
Step 2: Assess the valve with color Doppler for Mitral Regurgitation (MR) or Aortic Regurgitation (AR)
Step 3: Assign relative importance of lesion
Central Line placement is one of the most common hospital procedures, and yet it is not without risk. Ultrasound-guided Central Venous Catheter (CVC) placement reduces some of the more severe risks, such as pneumothoraces and CLABSI. Learn the procedures, techniques, and best practices associated with placing a central line under ultrasound guidance while minimizing risks of iatrogenic complications.
Point-of-care ultrasound is a powerful tool in evaluating a patient for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). This course describes the simplified protocol of assessing the common femoral and popliteal veins for DVT, a method that is well-accepted when used in conjunction with clinical assessments for ruling in/out DVT.
This valuable exam assesses the trauma patient for internal free fluid collection in the thorax and abdomen. Course participants will learn to identify the internal anatomy seen during the eFAST examination on ultrasound. In addition, students must be able to recognize abnormalities commonly encountered during an eFAST exam, and determine the appropriate transducer for different patient body types.
The gallbladder is not a fixed organ. Learn the best anatomical landmarks to help you locate and correctly identify the gallbladder and assess for cholecystitis and/or cholelithiasis. Differentiate between hepatic and portal veins and other vessels like ducts and arteries, and learn to spot the symptoms of gallbladder pathology, such as pericholecystic fluid, enlarged bile duct and gallbladder walls, and gallstones.
