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Emergency Medicine

Cardiac Ultrasound

Last Updated on May 6, 2022

Preparation

Patient’s position: supine
Preset: cardiac
Probe: Sector probe, B mode

Indications / Uses

• Cardiac tamponate
Massive acute pulmonary embolism
• Estimation of left ventricular ejection fraction

4 Standard Cardiac Views

Parasternal long axis: 2 – 4th left intercostal space just next to sternum
Parasternal short axis (parallel to long axis of left ventricle): rotate 90 degrees clockwise from parasternal long axis to get parasternal short axis view
Apical 4 chamber view: place probe at apex beat, tilt probe toward right shoulder
Subcostal/Subxiphoid 4 chamber view (as per FAST scan protocol)

Parasternal long axis view
Parasternal short axis view

Apical 4-chamber view

• Probe: short parasternal axis
Left ventricle: conical shape; thick wall; larger than right ventricle
Right ventricle: semilunar shape; 2/3 size of left ventricle
• Use: LV / RV dysfunction; pericardial collection of fluid; contractility of LV / RV

Apical 4 chamber view
Measuring left ventricular ejection fraction

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