Veterinary Echocardiography Course

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Chambers and Wall Anatomy

Covers gross anatomy of atria, ventricles, and septal walls in dogs and cats. Establishes spatial orientation needed for all subsequent imaging planes.

Lesson 2 • Valvular Anatomy and Function

Examines atrioventricular and semilunar valve morphology and leaflet motion. Connects normal valve anatomy to expected echo appearance.

Lesson 3 • Species Variations in Small Animals

Highlights anatomical and physiological differences among dogs, cats, and exotic small mammals. Prepares students to adjust technique and reference ranges by species.

Lesson 4 • Cardiac Cycle and Hemodynamics

Explains systole, diastole, pressure gradients, and flow direction. Underpins Doppler interpretation taught in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Artifacts and Their Causes

Identifies reverberation, shadowing, mirror-image, and side-lobe artifacts. Prevents misdiagnosis by teaching students to distinguish artifact from pathology.

Lesson 2 • Machine Controls and Image Optimization

Teaches gain, depth, focus, and time-gain compensation adjustments. Directly enables students to produce diagnostic-quality images in practice.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Sound Wave Propagation

Covers frequency, wavelength, velocity, and acoustic impedance in biological tissue. Establishes the physical basis for image formation and artifact recognition.

Lesson 4 • Imaging Modes Overview

Introduces B-mode, M-mode, and Doppler modalities used in echocardiography. Sets the stage for dedicated technique chapters that follow.

Lesson 1 • Patient Restraint and Positioning

Covers lateral recumbency, table cutout use, and sedation considerations for echocardiography. Proper positioning directly reduces imaging time and stress.

Lesson 2 • Systematic Scanning Protocol

Establishes a repeatable scan sequence to ensure no view is omitted. Consistent protocol reduces variability and supports quality assurance.

Lesson 3 • Clip and Coupling Gel Application

Describes hair removal, skin preparation, and acoustic coupling gel use. Adequate preparation is prerequisite to obtaining artifact-free windows.

Lesson 4 • Right Parasternal Windows

Teaches probe placement for right parasternal long-axis and short-axis views. These windows provide the majority of standard 2D measurements.

Lesson 1 • Chamber Size and Shape Assessment

Teaches qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation of chamber dimensions in 2D. Provides the foundation for M-mode and volumetric measurements.

Lesson 2 • Pericardial and Pleural Evaluation

Identifies pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade signs, and pleural fluid in 2D. Expands diagnostic scope beyond intracardiac structures.

Lesson 3 • Ventricular Wall Motion Analysis

Covers normal and abnormal wall motion patterns including hypokinesis and dyskinesis. Directly supports systolic function assessment in subsequent chapters.

Lesson 4 • Image Plane Orientation and Nomenclature

Establishes conventions for describing cardiac planes and on-screen orientation markers. Consistent nomenclature is essential for reproducible reporting.

Lesson 1 • M-Mode Principles and Cursor Placement

Explains temporal resolution advantages of M-mode and correct cursor positioning. Accurate cursor placement is prerequisite to valid measurements.

Lesson 2 • Aortic Root and Left Atrial M-Mode

Measures aortic root diameter and left atrial dimension at the aortic level. Enables LA:Ao ratio calculation critical for volume overload assessment.

Lesson 3 • Wall Thickness Measurements

Covers interventricular septum and left ventricular free wall thickness in diastole and systole. Identifies hypertrophy and dilation patterns from these values.

Lesson 4 • Left Ventricular Internal Dimensions

Teaches measurement of LVIDd and LVIDs using leading-edge and inner-edge conventions. These values feed directly into fractional shortening calculations.

Lesson 1 • Color Flow Doppler Mapping

Explains color map conventions, aliasing, and jet area assessment for regurgitation grading. Color Doppler guides CW and PW sample placement.

Lesson 2 • Doppler Physics and the Doppler Equation

Explains the Doppler shift, angle dependence, and the simplified Bernoulli equation. Provides the mathematical foundation for all velocity and gradient calculations.

Lesson 3 • Tissue Doppler Imaging Basics

Introduces myocardial velocity measurement using TDI for diastolic function assessment. TDI complements conventional Doppler in evaluating filling pressures.

Lesson 4 • Pulsed-Wave Doppler Technique

Covers sample volume placement for mitral inflow, pulmonary vein, and LVOT velocities. PW Doppler provides site-specific low-velocity flow data.

Lesson 1 • Pulmonary Arterial Pressure Estimation

Estimates pulmonary arterial systolic pressure from tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity. Integrates with RV function data for pulmonary hypertension diagnosis.

Lesson 2 • Right Ventricular Function Assessment

Covers TAPSE, RV fractional area change, and tricuspid annular TDI for RV function. RV assessment is critical in pulmonary hypertension and right-sided disease.

Lesson 3 • Left Atrial Pressure Estimation

Uses E/E-prime ratio and LA volume to estimate left atrial filling pressure. Elevated LA pressure is a key indicator of decompensated heart disease.

Lesson 4 • Indices of Systolic Function

Consolidates FS, EF, and wall motion scoring into a systolic function assessment framework. Builds on M-mode and 2D skills from prior chapters.

Lesson 1 • Congenital Heart Defects

Covers echo features of PDA, subaortic stenosis, pulmonic stenosis, and VSD. Teaches shunt direction assessment using color and spectral Doppler.

Lesson 2 • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Cats

Identifies concentric hypertrophy, dynamic LVOTO, and SAM of the mitral valve in HCM. Covers diastolic dysfunction patterns specific to feline HCM.

Lesson 3 • Structured Echocardiographic Reporting

Synthesizes all echo data into a standardized written report with diagnosis and severity. Prepares students for professional clinical communication.

Lesson 4 • Pericardial Disease and Effusion

Differentiates idiopathic, neoplastic, and infectious pericardial effusion by echo features. Identifies tamponade physiology and guides pericardiocentesis planning.

Lesson 5 • Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Recognizes eccentric dilation, reduced FS, and secondary mitral regurgitation in DCM. Differentiates DCM from volume overload due to valvular disease.