Monthly Archives: September 2018

Sono Pro Tip: Going Deep

Even time you use too much depth a kitten dies…. or you greatly reduce your image quality and image the bed instead of the patient. Not only does it shrink the size of what you’re looking at, but it also moves your structure of interest out of the focal zone (you know the area of highest image resolution in the mid field of the ultrasound screen). Plus it adds poor quality images to the patient’s chart with your name, so don’t do it and think of the kittens.

Happy scanning everyone!

 

Sono Pro Tip: Distinguishing Right from Left Heart

Know your right from left heart. In a perfect world probe positioning would be right every time and you’d just know the right heart is on screen left. However no one is perfect and it’s important to know your right from left heart to prevent errors like calling right heart strain when there isn’t. Here are some tips to help (even when your image is flipped like this one):

  1. Descending thoracic aorta is associated with the left atrium
  2. Look for left ventricular outflow tract/aortic valve in left ventricle
  3. Tricuspid valve insertion onto septum is more apical
  4. Tapered right ventricle shape
  5. Moderator band is sometimes visible in the right ventricle

Happy scanning everyone!