Online Course - Introduction to Basic Echocardiography
Course Design
This is an Internet structured instructor driven course.  In addition to the course textbook, there will be numerous interactive exercises and simulations to ensure a total learning experience. The course participants will meet online in a private chat room on a weekly basis. The sessions will last approximately one hour.  Although attendance at the weekly chat sessions is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged.  Additional assignments will be posted on a class bulletin board.  The participant has the flexibly to work at a faster pace.  See specific course for length of course.  A final exam will be given at the end of the course.  A certificate of completion will be awarded to each participant passing the individual sections and final exam.

 

Course Description 

This introductory level echocardiography course is specifically targeted to the professional needing to learn modality specific subject matter on basic echocardiography. This course is designed for the medical professional that cannot attend an off site program, and needs a modality specific correspondence program or a structured type program.  This course serves as an excellent tool for the professional needing to be cross-trained or as an echocardiography review for the ARDMS and CCI registry examinations. The course includes: the basics of Doppler and transducers, physiology, anatomy, hemodynamics, physical examination, patient history, color and spectral Doppler, M-Mode, cardiac calculations, imaging and Doppler techniques, protocols, disease states and basic echo interpretation, validation and reporting. The course uses a combination of extensive graphics, video and interactive exercises.    The participant will have the opportunity of observe a basic echo via the Internet.  The course length is 12 weeks.  The course cost is $1495.95.  The course cost includes an individual subscription to www.echo-web.com.

 

Course Objectives

§         To review basic physics and instrumentation

§         To describe cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics

§         To describe clinical aspects of cardiac disease, Physical examination and patient history

§         To describe instrumentation and the various techniques of echo testing

§         To review interpretation of the various examinations

§         To provide testing policy and procedures for each examination.

 

Syllabus

 

Introduction to Basic Echocardiography

 

1.  Anatomy/Imaging Planes

·         Muscular construct

·         Atria

·         Ventricles

·         Papillary Muscles

·         Electrical -Purkinje system

·         Great vessels (arteries & vein construct)

2. Hemodynamics

·         Flow pattern of cardiovascular system

·         Normal blood flow

·         Chamber pressures normal range

·         Inflow and outflow

·         Frank Starling law

3.  Physics

·         Speed of sound

·         90 degrees versus 0 degree (imaging vs Doppler)

·         M-Mode; B-Mode; A-Mode

·         Artifacts

·         Nyquist Limit

 

IMAGING TECHNIQUES

 

4.   Knobology

·         Gain (B-Mode)

·         Time gain compensation (signal strength)

·         Focus zone

·         Transducer construct

·         Transducer function

·         Analog versus digital

·         Artifacts

·         Hardcopy units

5.  M-Mode

·         Value

·         Technique

·         Timing parameters

·         Chamber sizes

6.   2 Dimensional

·         Value

·         Technique/windows

·         Physics & physical limitations

·         Complete echo examination

·         Limited echo, when is it used

7   Color Basics

·         Limitations

·         Benefits

·         Nyquist limitations

·         Gain settings

8.   Doppler

·         Continuous Wave

·         Pulsed Wave

9.   Measurements

·         M-Mode

·         2D

·         Doppler

 

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

 

10.   Mitral/Tricuspid Disease

·         Review normal anatomy

·         Stenosis  (mild, moderate, severe)

·         Hemodynamic changes

·         Valve regurgitation

·         Chordae tendinae

11.  Aortic/Pulmonic Valves

·         Review normal anatomy

·         Stenosis  (mild, moderate, severe)

·         Hemodynamic changes

·         Valve regurgitation

·         Outflow abnormalities

12.  Cardiomyopathy

·         Hypertrophic CM (obstructive/non-obstructive)

·         Dilated CM

·         Restrictive CM

13.  Coronary Artery Disease/Ischemia

·         Anatomy

·         Flow distribution

·         Heart attack

·         Chemistry changes

·         EKG changes

·         Arrythmia

·         Acute, chronic

·         Discussion of stress echocardiograms & value          

14.  Aortic Diseases                     

15.  Pericardial Disease

 

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