Basic Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound and Its Clinical Applications

Abstract

The information obtained from cardiac POCUS relies on the ability to acquire optimized images and identify errors in image acquisition. In the following, we describe basic approaches to image optimization and detail common measurements obtained by cardiac POCUS. We highlight the impact of image acquisition errors and patient anatomy on these measurements including LV/RV function, identification of RV strain, their pitfalls, and the impact of error in image acquisition and patient anatomy on their clinical interpretation or integration.

Keywords: Cardiac point of care ultrasound; Image optimization; Left ventricle functional assessment; Pericardial effusion; Right ventricle assessment and strain.