Title: ECHO PROTOCOL
1ECHO PROTOCOL
2Echo Protocol
- Change the scanhead selection (this loads the
cardiac preset) - Lungs get in the way. You might need to ask the
patient to stop breathing at a particular stage
in the respiratory cycle or exhale and hold the
breath out - This is all covered in your protocol book
3Try to get these images of the heart
4Parasternal Long Axis View (PLAX)Patient
Position Left Lateral DecubitusProbe Position
3rd 4th Intercostal Space, Pointer at 10-11
oclock
5Right Ventricular Inflow ViewPatient Position
Left Lateral DecubitusProbe Position As for
PLAX, but angle the beam slightly
inferiorly/mediallyNote See text for proper
image. Image below is bad quality
6Parasternal Short Axis View (SAX) at aortic valve
level Patient Position Left Lateral
DecubitusProbe Position Start in PLAX position,
then rotate approx. 90 degrees clockwise until
pointer is at 1 or 2 oclock. Angle the beam
slightly superiorly/medially
7Parasternal Short Axis View (SAX) at mitral valve
level Patient Position Left Lateral
DecubitusProbe Position Start in SAX position
at AV level, then angle the beam slightly
inferiorly/laterally
8Parasternal Short Axis View (SAX) at the
papillary muscle level Patient Position Left
Lateral DecubitusProbe Position Start in SAX
position at MV level, then angle the beam
slightly more inferiorly/laterally
9Apical 4-Chamber View Patient Position Left
Lateral Decubitus, leaning toward supineProbe
Position Around 5th intercostal space approx. at
axillary line. Pointer is around 3 oclock
(pointing down towards bed). Angle beam up
towards the heart
10Apical 5-Chamber View Patient Position Left
Lateral Decubitus, leaning toward supineProbe
Position As for apical 4, but angle the beam
slightly superiorlyNote See text for proper
image. Image below is bad quality
11Apical 2-Chamber View Patient Position Left
Lateral Decubitus, leaning toward supineProbe
Position Start at apical 4, then rotate probe
approx. 90 degrees counter-clockwise
12Apical 3-Chamber View Patient Position Left
Lateral Decubitus, leaning toward supineProbe
Position Start at apical 2, then rotate probe
slightly more in the counter-clockwise direction
13Subcostal 4-Chamber View Patient Position
Supine, possibly with knees bentProbe Position
Just below xiphoid process, pointer at about 3
oclock
14Subcostal Short View Patient Position Supine,
possibly with knees bent Probe Position Just
below xiphoid process, pointer at 12 or 1 oclock
(rotate counterclockwise from 4-chamber position)
15Subcostal IVC/Hepatics View Patient Position
Supine, possibly with knees bent Probe Position
Just below xiphoid process, pointer around 12
oclock with beam angled slightly toward right
side of patient Note See text for proper image.
Image below is bad quality