Basics of Echocardiography

Transcript of the video: Echocardiography is now not restricted to the echocardiographic laboratory. It is used in the emergency department, at bedside, in the intensive care unit as well as in the operating room. Hence a basic knowledge is needed for all physicians and paramedics. During echocardiography, a transducer transmits the ultrasound beam towards the heart. Echoes received by the transducer from various structures of the heart are analysed by the echocardiograph and a graphical representation displayed on the monitor. Location of the transducer is at the top of the image sector. Structures nearer to the transducer are shown at the top of the image and those away from the transducer at the bottom of the image. The image shown here is an animated 2 dimensional echocardiogram. This one is an older mode known as time-motion mode or M-Mode echocardiogram. Unlike the previous 2 dimensional imaging, this is a single dimensional imaging. Movement of the structures along a single scan line are depicted as a horizontal graph. Though it is the oldest mode of echocardiography, it is still being used for taking measurements of the left ventricle. Doppler echocardiography uses the Doppler principle and targets the moving red blood cells. The velocity at each point is depicted as a spectral tracing. In Pulsed Doppler, intermittent pulses are sent, and echoes received. In Continuous wave Doppler, the signals are sent and received continuously. Flow away from the tra...
Source: Cardiophile MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs