Book Description

Easy-to-use, handheld echocardiographic equipment has recently become a reliable, faster, lower-cost initial assessment option for cardiologists and other healthcare providers. Point-of-Care Echocardiography: A Case-Based Visual Guide clearly explains and demonstrates how to incorporate and effectively employ this new technology in your practice. Real-life images from actual outpatient consultations and in-patient evaluations provide step-by-step guidance on using handheld echo to arrive at a definitive diagnosis and/or to exclude other possible diagnoses. Focuses on the use and application of the latest handheld echocardiography devices for screening and initial diagnosis at point of care. Includes clinical case studies with history, physical exam, a wide range of normal and abnormal laboratory, ECG and imaging findings along with multiple images and video clips obtained with handheld system by an expert cardiologist. Features 169 echocardiographic images and 48 videos depicting use of point-of-care echo and its cardiovascular imaging findings. Provides an overview of cardiac and vascular anatomy and physiology and imaging techniques, tips, nuances, and limitations of handheld systems. Covers normal and abnormal findings and when to refer for further study. Discusses and demonstrates how to perform transthoracic echocardiography for assessment of cardiac and valve function, intravascular volume, ultrasound imaging to detect pericardial and pleural effusion, during pericardiocentesis and imaging assessment of vascular connections to the heart.