Midterm: DSA: Intro to POCUS Flashcards

1
Q

What is the biggest pro for using POCUS?

A

Improves diagnostic accuracy
Decreases overall cost of care
Decreases time to diagnose

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2
Q

What are some cons to POCUS?

A

Operator dependent
Limitations
–poor image quality with fat and air

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3
Q

Describe the physics of ultrasound waves?

A
  1. Electricity causes vibrations of crystals, which travel through fat and air, and will bounce off of objects.
  2. This wave will then vibrate back to the probe which is picked up
    - areas that bounce back=white
    - areas that don’t=dark!
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4
Q

How are frequency and wavelength related?

A

Higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength

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5
Q

Which type of frequency waves penetrate deeper into tissues?

A

Lower frequency waves penetrate farther, but have worse quality!

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6
Q

Which frequency and wavelength combo gives you the highest quality for US?

A

Highest frequency, shorter wavelength=clearer picture

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7
Q

Rank the probes in order from high frequency to lowest frequency.

Linear, Phased or “cardiac”, and curvilinear or “abdominal”

A
  1. Highest=Linear
  2. Middle=Phase or cardiac
  3. Lowest=curvilinear or abdominal=penetrates farthest into fat
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8
Q

What is echogenicity?

A

The ability of a structure to reflect sound waves

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9
Q

Define: anechoic, hypoechoic, and hyperechoic

A

anechoic=complete lack of returning waves
-fluid

Hypoechoic=very few echos=fat

Hyperechoic=very bright
-stones, bones, denser tissues

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10
Q

What is acoustic shadowing?
When does it occur?
Why does it occur?

A
  • Common Artifact
  • Occurs when waves encounter a reflective surface (stone or bone), making the area behind it hypo or anechoic
  • due to very few sound waves getting through
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11
Q

What is posterior acoustic enhancement?

A

The increase in echogenicity that occurs deep to an anechoic structure
-due to very few waves being reflected

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12
Q

What is edge artifact?

What is it seen with?

A

Sound that is bent by a structure in parallel with the ultrasound sound beam, resulting in the appearance of a shadow behind the surface
-generally seen with fluid filled structures, like gallbladder

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13
Q

What is mirror artifact?

A

Happens with highly reflective surfaces causing a mirror image of the object distal to the probe
-usually appears at bottom of screen

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14
Q

What is reverberation artifact?

A

Multiple intermitting lines or “echoes” running parallel to the actual needle
-usually due to line placement

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15
Q

How do you orient the probe in longitudinal scanning?

A

Probes will have an orientation marker usually on right!

-longitudinal scanning is marker toward head

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16
Q

How do you orient the probe in transverse scanning?

A

Probes will have an orientation marker usually on right!

-Transverse scanning is with probe facing patients right

17
Q

What side of the probe do you use to orient yourself in transverse scanning for cardiac probe?

A

Screen marker is on the left!

-only exception, rest of probes are on the right!

18
Q

What is ALARA?

A

As low as reasonably achievable exposure

-basically only scan people for as long as you need to at the lowest possible dosing

19
Q

What is the purpose of a FAST scan?

A

To detect free fluid where it shouldn’t be!

-trauma!

20
Q

Where will blood pool in the abdominal cavity (ie, most gravity dependent spot?

A

Morrison’s Pouch

-between kidney and liver