PC 13: Ultrasound beginner

Course Directors

• Jim Connolly (UK)

Faculty 

Jim Connolly, UK

Michael Lambert, USA

Patrick Kishi, USA

Others to be confirmed

Participants

The course is designed for 60 participants (EP, emergency medicine PA’s and nurses).

Ultrasound Beginner

Course description & learning objectives

Image acquisition & instrumentation
1. Enhance your basic understanding of the basic principles of ultrasound.
2. Apply these principles to the reduction of common artifacts and improvement of high quality diagnostic ultrasound images
3. Understand the relationship between transducer position and image orientation.
4. Demonstrate the basic operator controls on the ultrasound system required for image acquisition.

eFast
1. Understand the surface landmarks for appropriate transducer positioning to perform the Extended Focused Assessment With Sonography for Trauma (eFAST) examination. 
2. Understand the sonographic landmarks and anatomical relationships of the heart, liver, spleen and bladder as they relate to the FAST examination.
3. Demonstrate the ability to identify and visualize the areas of potential intra-abdominal and thoracic spaces for free fluid to collect or pneumothorax.
4. Understand the sonographic findings and pitfalls for identifying life-threatening trauma conditions such as cardiac tamponade, hemo/pneumothorax and intra-abdominal hemorrhage.

Vascular Access
1. Understand the sonographic landmarks and anatomical relationships as they relate to the vasculature of the neck, upper extremity and groin.
2. Acquire and interpret sonographic images of the internal jugular, femoral, basilic, brachial and axillary veins in live patient models.
3. Demonstrate ultrasound guided cannulation on vascular simulator.

Echo and Aorta
1. Understand the surface landmarks for appropriate transducer positioning to perform sonographic examinations of the thoracic and abdominal aorta.
2. Demonstrate the ability to identify and visualize landmarks for the aorta in the transverse and longitudinal scanning planes.
3. Understand the sonographic findings and pitfalls for identifying pathology including aortic aneurysm.
4. Understand the utility of motion modality (M-mode) and demonstrate its use.
5. Demonstrate the surface landmarks and transducer position necessary to perform an echocardiogram in the emergency department.
6. Acquire and interpret sonographic images of heart (subcostal, parasternal long, parasternal short and apical windows).
7. Identify pathologic conditions such as pericardial effusion, gross wall motion abnormalities and cardiac tamponade.

Course format

Participants wanted more imaging of the heart and central line placement. Didactic lectures will provide state of the art audiovisual presentation by a veteran faculty, followed by small groups of a maximum four participants / one instructor allowing each individual participant ample time with their hand on the probe. 

Schedule

Wednesday 27 October