SDMS Credits:20.0

New! Prepare for your boards with Gulfcoast's ULTRA "Preparation Agenda for Study Success" tools!

Consistent with newly revised ARDMS outlines, the new ULTRA P.A.S.S. Adult Echocardiography workbook covers all of the material pertinent to the Cardiac Technology and the Cardiac Physics board exams. Similar to a review book on audio, the ULTRA P.A.S.S. workbook provides comprehensive written and narrated formats (audio CDs, see below). This workbook is designed so you can easily find a specific subject of study at any time.

This spiral-bound workbook includes:

• Six digital audio CDs that can be played on current portable and car CD players or computer CD drives (system requirements: Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 or later, 2000, or XP, 16MB RAM) and
• A new companion DVD that features 87 real-time exams illustrating various pathologies referenced in the workbook.
• 280 pages with plenty of images and illustrations
• Self-tests after each section

Objectives

Upon completion of these modules, you should be able to accomplish the following:

Section 1:  ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

• Describe cardiac anatomy and physiology
• Identify the ventricular wall segments
• State the normal pressures in all four cardiac
• Compare electrical and mechanical systole
• Relate the filling phases of diastole to the cardiac cycle
• Compare timing of cardiac events to ECG
• Explain left ventricular function indicators and normal values
• State normal heart sound generation and timing
• Describe the properties of blood pumped by the heart
• Explain the properties of blood and their correlation to Doppler echocardiography

Section 2:  TECHNIQUE

• Explain use of equipment controls
• Recognize commonly seen technical artifacts
• Explain contrast agents and their use
• Recognize normal M-mode patterns
• Explain the use of provocative maneuvers
• Discuss the best approach for Doppler studies
• Apply imaging methods of the two-dimensional study
• Explain the routine imaging planes used for transesophageal  echocardiography
• Discuss the basics of CPR

Section 3:  VALVULAR HEART DISEASE

• Describe normal anatomy of the cardiac valves
• Identify abnormal findings associated with valvular disease on the two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler examination
• Discuss physiology and hemodynamics of the cardiac valves affected by various diseases
• Recognize various commonly seen valvular diseases
• Apply various cardiac imaging and Doppler techniques
• Implement the various measuring techniques used to assess valvular heart disease
• Explain etiologies and clinical symptoms of the various valvular anomalies
• Discuss the affects various valvular diseases have on the various cardiac chambers and vessels
• Identify the findings with endocarditis
• Apply the proper techniques for the identification of endocarditis
• Recognize prosthetic heart valves
• Apply proper imaging and Doppler techniques used to evaluate prosthetic heart valves
• Explain different types of prosthetic heart valves

Section 4:  PERICARDIAL DISEASE

• Describe the echocardiographic findings associated with pericardial disease
• Discuss the etiologies of the various types of pericardial disease
• Differentiate pericardial and pleural fluid collections
• Apply quantitative measurements to applicable diseases
• Identify the various types of pericardial diseases

Section 5:  SYSTEMIC AND PULMONARY HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE

• Explain the difference between systemic and hypertensive  heart disease
• Describe echocardiographic imaging, M-mode and Doppler procedures used to evaluate systemic and pulmonary hypertensive heart disease
• Discuss the etiologies for systemic and pulmonary hypertensive heart disease
• Apply quantitative methods for the determination of systemic and pulmonary hypertensive heart disease
• Identify the common echocardiographic findings associated ith systemic and pulmonary hypertensive heart disease

Section 6:  CARDIOMYOPATHIES

• Identify the various types of cardiomyopathies
• Discuss the etiologies of the various cardiomyopathies
• Differentiate on the echocardiogram the various cardiomyopathies from other diseases
• Apply quantitative measurements for the assessment of  the hemodynamic effects caused by cardiomyopathies
• Explain and implement echocardiographic methods used to identify and evaluate the various types of  cardiomyopathies
• Relate the associated findings and their effects on the heart

Section 7:  VENTRICULAR FUNCTION

• Identify wall motion abnormalities on the echocardiogram
• Discuss the findings associated with coronary artery disease
• Explain the effects of coronary artery disease on diastolic function
• Apply quantitative methods for the evaluation of left ventricular function
• Describe the various complications associated with coronary artery disease

Section 8:  CARDIAC TUMORS

• Differentiate primary and secondary cardiac tumors
• Discuss the complications associated with cardiac tumors
• Identify the pericardial involvement of cardiac tumors
• Apply echocardiography methods to differentiate other masses and artifacts from cardiac tumors

Section 9:  MISCELLANEOUS

• Identify various arrhythmias and conduction disturbances as they relate to the echocardiogram
• Discuss the effect of arrhythmias and conduction disturbances on the cardiac valves
• Apply the parameters of left ventricular function
• Explain and identify the findings associated with right side  volume overload
• Relate the effects of arrhythmias and conduction disturbances to the Doppler flow velocity waveforms

Section 10:  CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE IN THE ADULT

• Identify various types of congenital heart diseases found in adults
• Describe the types of aortic stenosis
• Discuss the etiologies of congenital heart disease
• Explain the types of atrial and septal defects and their associated findings
• Apply the echocardiographic methods to evaluate cardiac shunts, valvular stenosis and related regurgitant lesions
• Relate knowledge of normal cardiac hemodynamics to the abnormal effects of the various congenital heart diseases

Section 11:  DISEASES OF THE AORTA

• Identify the common echocardiographic findings associated with Marfan’s syndrome
• Explain the various forms of aortic dilatation and their associated causes
• Discuss the echocardiographic parameters used to evaluate the various diseases that can affect the aorta

Section 12:  DOPPLER

• Explain the general concept of the Doppler equation
• Discuss Doppler signal processing and the various display methods
• Describe the aliasing ways to resolve this Doppler artifact
• Apply quantitative methods such as the modified Bernoulli equation, pressure half-time formula, stroke volume, and the continuity equation to the cardiac Doppler examination

Section 13:  STRESS ECHO

• Discuss the applications of stress echo
• Explain the routine procedures associated with stress echo
• Apply the basic concepts of stress echo
• Relate knowledge of ischemic heart disease to stress echo

Target Audience

Anyone preparing to take the Adult Echocardiography (including Cardiac Physics) Sonography Registry Board Examination.

Author Disclosure Statement

Patrick Coon, RDCS, RVT, FASE
Program Director – Echocardiography Lab
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
No relevant commercial relationships to disclose
Consultant accepting honorariums from Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute, Inc.

DVD Compatability

DVD is compatible with set-top DVD players, DVD-Rom drives, DVD-R drives, and DVD+R drives.

CME Processing

A CME Quiz ($50.00 processing fee) can be submitted to Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute for 20.0 “AMA Cat.1” CME credits (also meets requirements for ARDMS), if needed.

The Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute designates this educational activity for a maximum of 20.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This product also meets CME/CEU requirements for ARDMS.Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute also offers SDMS CME Credits (see above). RTs can use SDMS CME credits as ARRT Category A CME hours. Note: While offering the CME credit hours noted above, activities are not intended to provide extensive training or certification for exam performance or interpretation.