Echocardiography

Question 1

IMAGE CREATION

i) how does the US create the image?
ii) which two media reflect US and appear bright?
iii) which media transmits (doesnt reflect) US and appears dark?
iv) what is used to detect blood flow? what colour is blood moving towards/away from the probe?
v) what do the shades of colour indicate?

Answer 1

i) US probe generates high frequency sound wavs > reflected off body structures > detected by the probe
ii) solid and gas
iii) fluid

iv) colour doppler detects blood flow
- towards = red
- away from = blue

v) shades > indicate speed (velocity)

Question 2

ROLE OF ECHO

i) name four reasons why echo is good?
ii) name three things that can be looked at on ECHO?
iii) name two critical conditions that can be picked up
iv) name three limitations
v) which area is it not good at looking at (where a clot can form)

Answer 2

i) cheap, no radiation, can be done bedside, non invasaive, lots of info about cardiac struc and func

ii) cardiac struc (chamber size)
cardiac function (LV sys and dias func)
valve function (stenosis, regurg, vegetation)

iii) pericardial fluid and tamponade

iv) doesnt show coronary artery flow or electric probs
can be difficult if high or low BMI/chest wall deformities
difficult to image fast HR such as arrhythmias

v) not good at looking at posterior structures eg right atrial appendage where clots can form

Question 3

PROBE POSITIONS

i) where should the probe be placed for parasternal long axis view?
ii) which view is good for looking at the aortic valve?
iii) where is the probe placed in apical 4 chamber view

Answer 3

i) 2-3rd intercostal space
ii) parasternal short axis
iii) mid clavic line 5th IC space