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Basic Ultrasound Physics, Doppler Ultrasound, and Hemodynamic Assessment

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Essential Echocardiography

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Abstract

A basic understanding of physics is necessary for effective clinical use of ultrasound, and it allows appreciation of the wonderful technology we now use. Rapid waveform analysis and massive data storage capability make high-resolution imaging and complex hemodynamic assessment accessible at the bedside. Understanding the principles of ultrasound physics and applying them to echocardiography help us understand the anatomy and function of the heart, while use of Doppler principles allow us to make assessments of blood flow, valve areas, and pressure gradients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Gerard Manecke & Patricia Guan

Authors
  1. Gerard Manecke
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  2. Patricia Guan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gerard Manecke .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Timothy M. Maus

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Christopher R. Tainter

Questions

Questions

  1. 1.

    Medical ultrasound is based on the same principle as which of the following?

    1. (a)

      Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR)

    2. (b)

      Global Positioning Satellites (GPS)

    3. (c)

      Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR)

    4. (d)

      Cellular Triangulation

  2. 2.

    Which of the following is most true about ultrasound waves?

    1. (a)

      They do not propagate in a vacuum

    2. (b)

      They have a frequency > 1 kHz

    3. (c)

      They will not reflect off interfaces with different density

    4. (d)

      They are transverse waves

  3. 3.

    Lateral resolution of an ultrasound probe depends upon which of the following?

    1. (a)

      The amplitude of the transmitted wave

    2. (b)

      The frequency of the transmitted wave

    3. (c)

      The number of piezoelectric crystals in the transducer

    4. (d)

      The wavelength of the transmitted wave

  4. 4.

    The axial resolution of an ultrasound probe will improve with which of the following changes?

    1. (a)

      Increasing the number of piezoelectric crystals in the transducer

    2. (b)

      Increasing the wavelength of the transmitted wave

    3. (c)

      Decreasing the pulse length of the transmitted wave

    4. (d)

      Decreasing the frequency of the transmitted wave

  5. 5.

    Which of the following is most true regarding Doppler ultrasound?

    1. (a)

      The frequency shift between transmitted and received signals is inversely proportional to the sine of the angle between the velocity of the reflector and the direction of the ultrasound wave

    2. (b)

      The velocity of a reflector is directly proportional to the frequency shift between transmitted and received signals

    3. (c)

      The change in frequency of a reflected signal is inversely proportional to the speed of sound in the medium

    4. (d)

      The change in frequency of a reflected signal is directly proportional to the frequency of the transmitted wave

  6. 6.

    The regurgitant jet across the tricuspid valve is measured at 300 cm/sec. The patient’s central venous pressure is 8 mmHg. What is the systolic pressure in the right ventricle during systole?

    1. (a)

      28 mmHg

    2. (b)

      36 mmHg

    3. (c)

      44 mmHg

    4. (d)

      104 mmHg

  7. 7.

    The LVOT diameter has been measured to be 2 cm. The LVOT VTI has been traced to be 25 cm. The patient’s heart rate is 76 bpm. What is the patient’s approximate cardiac output?

    1. (a)

      4 L/min

    2. (b)

      6 L/min

    3. (c)

      8 L/min

    4. (d)

      10 L/min

  8. 8.

    The patient’s LVOT diameter has been measured to be 2 cm. The LVOT VTI has been traced to be 25 cm. The aortic valve VTI has been traced to be 100 cm. What is the area of the aortic valve?

    1. (a)

      0.79 cm2

    2. (b)

      1.23 cm2

    3. (c)

      1.56 cm2

    4. (d)

      3.14 cm2

  9. 9.

    In the absence of aortic stenosis, the left atrial pressure could be calculated knowing which of the following?

    1. (a)

      Pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure and the velocity of mitral regurgitant flow

    2. (b)

      Pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure and the diastolic peak mitral flow

    3. (c)

      Systemic arterial pressure and the velocity of mitral regurgitant flow

    4. (d)

      Systemic arterial pressure and the diastolic peak mitral flow

  10. 10.

    Which of the following is most true regarding the potential for ultrasound to cause tissue injury?

    1. (a)

      Cavitation may lead to thermal injury of the tissues

    2. (b)

      The ALARA principle encourages the use of alternative imaging strategies

    3. (c)

      M-mode imaging has the highest potential for tissue injury

    4. (d)

      Color Flow Doppler has a higher potential for tissue injury than B-mode imaging

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Manecke, G., Guan, P. (2022). Basic Ultrasound Physics, Doppler Ultrasound, and Hemodynamic Assessment. In: Maus, T.M., Tainter, C.R. (eds) Essential Echocardiography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84349-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84349-6_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-84348-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-84349-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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