We would like to thank the University of Michigan Department of Anesthesia, Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation, and Katelyn Murphy for their administrative and graphic design support.

This material is the authors&#39; original work, which has not been previously published elsewhere. The protocol described is for clinical use and not research purposes. De-identified images were obtained from a volunteer model in a non-clinical environment. The authors did not seek a formal &#34;Not Regulated&#34; determination from the IRB in accordance with institutional policy, as the activity falls outside of the Common Rule and FDA definitions of human subject research.
1. The tran...

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N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recommendations+for+echocardiography+laboratories+participating+in+cardiac+point+of+care+cardiac+ultrasound+(POCUS)+and+critical+care+echocardiography+training:+report+from+the+American+Society+of+Echocardiography.">Recommendations for echocardiography laboratories participating in cardiac point of care cardiac ultrasound (POCUS) and critical care echocardiography training: report from the American Society of Echocardiography.</a> Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. 33 (4), 409-422 (2020).</li><li>Annals of Emergency Medicine. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ultrasound+Guidelines:+Emergency,+point-of-care+and+clinical+ultrasound+guidelines+in+medicine.">Ultrasound Guidelines: Emergency, point-of-care and clinical ultrasound guidelines in medicine.</a> Annals of Emergency Medicine. 69 (5), 27-54 (2017).</li><li>Levitov, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Guidelines+for+the+appropriate+use+of+bedside+general+and+cardiac+ultrasonography+in+the+evaluation+of+critically+ill+patients-part+II:+cardiac+ultrasonography.">Guidelines for the appropriate use of bedside general and cardiac ultrasonography in the evaluation of critically ill patients-part II: cardiac ultrasonography.</a> Critical Care Medicine. 44 (6), 1206-1227 (2016).</li><li>Neskovic, A. 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The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers' bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

The aim of this publication is to provide practical recommendations and best practices to achieve optimal FoCUS images in challenging clinical environments. Formal ultrasound seminars, clinical experience, and observations of learners during hands-on teaching have given insight into pitfalls and less optimal tendencies. As a result, many factors that influence the stereotactic and psychomotor skills have become apparent. Although this material is described in relation to FoCUS exams, many of the principles can be applied...

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a limited, clinician-performed application of echocardiography that provides immediate anatomic, physiologic, and functional information to patient care. These exams, consisting of five classic views, are problem oriented, performed in real time at the bedside, and do not replace comprehensive echocardiography exams1,2. Given the focused nature of these exams, they are often repeatedly performed when clinical status changes or serial monitoring is required. It is important to have standardized training and obtain adequate images of all five views, when possible, as some views may provide limited information depending on the individual patient and pathology.
The use of FoCUS is rapidly expanding. Many clinical landscapes, such as perioperative anesthesiology, critical care and emergency medicine1,2,3, now routinely employ FoCUS. Inpatient medical wards and outpatient clinical care settings are also adopting this tool to enhance clinical practice4,5,6. As a result, several societal bodies, such as the American Society of Echocardiography, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and the American College of Emergency Physicians, have published guidelines and recommendations for FoCUS competency and scope of practice7,8,9. While these guidelines and recommendations are not codified, much of the content is consistent and influences FoCUS training curricula10.
Beyond didactics and image interpretation, competency in FoCUS includes mastery of stereotactic and psychomotor skill sets. Stereotactic skill refers to the accurate positioning of ultrasound transducers on the body, based on three-dimensional anatomic features. Psychomotor skill describes the relationship between cognitive function and physical movement that influences coordination, dexterity, and manipulation. Expanding knowledge and awareness about these skills supports FoCUS trainee development.
This article presents concepts for high-quality image acquisition in FoCUS, with both pragmatic considerations and attention to stereotactic and psychomotor skill sets. Specifically, it discusses optimal patient positioning, transducer manipulation, and suggests tips to optimize phased array transducer use. Finally, it examines image optimization for 2-dimensional (B-mode or 2-D mode) and motion modes (M-mode).

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Aquasonic ultrasound gel</td>
			<td>Parker</td>
			<td>30592052</td>
			<td>https://dr.graphiccontrols.com/en/catalog/ultrasound-gel/parker-laboratories-01-50-aquasonic-100-gel-5l-1332e66e/</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Philips Sparq ultrasound machine</td>
			<td>Phillips</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/product/HC795090CC/sparq-ultrasound-system#documents</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

troubleshooting focus image acquisition: patient positioning, transducer manipulation, and image optimization

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a limited, clinician-performed application of echocardiography to add real-time information to patient care. These bedside exams are problem oriented, rapidly and repeatedly performed, and largely qualitative in nature. Competency in FoCUS includes mastery of the stereotactic and psychomotor skills required for transducer manipulation and image acquisition. Competency also requires the ability to optimize the setup, troubleshoot image acquisition, and understand the sonographic limitations because of complex clinical environments and patient pathology. This article presents concepts for successful, high-quality two-dimensional (B-mode) image acquisition in FoCUS.
Concepts of high-quality image acquisition can be applied to all established sonographic windows of the FoCUS exam: the parasternal long-axis (PLAX), parasternal short-axis (PSAX), apical four chamber (A4C), subcostal fourchamber (SC4C), and the inferior vena cava (IVC). The apical five-chamber (A5C) and subcostal short-axis (SCSA) views are mentioned, but are not discussed in-depth. A pragmatic figure illustrating the movements of the phased array transducer is also provided to serve as a cognitive aid during FoCUS image acquisition.

Representative images obtained from the focused cardiac ultrasound protocol presented above are presented in Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6, demonstrating the feasibility of the technique described. These images were captured with the phased array 5-1 MHz transducer. The parasternal long axis (PLAX) image obtained from protocol se...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Troubleshooting FoCUS Image Acquisition: Patient Positioning, Transducer Manipulation, and Image Optimization at JoVE.com

Troubleshooting FoCUS Image Acquisition: Patient Positioning, Transducer Manipulation, and Image Optimization

Here, we present a protocol to allow providers to perform focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) in the clinical environment. We describe methods of transducer manipulation, review common pitfalls of transducer movements, and suggest tips to optimize phased array transducer use.

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a limited, clinician-performed application of echocardiography to add real-time information to patient care. These ...

Focused cardiac ultrasound allows clinicians to perform problem-oriented ultrasound exams at the bedside to answer real-time clinical questions. The process is rapid, pragmatic, and repeatable in the clinical setting. The implications of this exam are applicable across the spectrum of critical illness because it provides information to aid in the clinical assessment of cardiac function, fluid status, and other hemodynamic features.Demonstrating this procedure will be doctors Adam Gottula and Suhas Devangam, fellow physicians, and Dr.Jessica Koehler, faculty physician at my institution. Begin by placing the patient in the supine position. If there is difficulty obtaining the parasternal long axis image, place the patient on their left side and extend their arm above their head.Place the transducer at an oblique angle between the third and fifth intercostal space of the parasternal region, with the transducer marker pointing to the patient's right shoulder. Visualize the right ventricle, left ventricle, left atrium, mitral valve, left ventricular outflow tract, aortic valve, and descending thoracic aorta. Then visualize the simultaneous opening and closing of the mitral and aortic valves to ensure the image is not foreshortened.Now start with an initial depth of approximately 15 to 20 centimeters, and adjust the depth so that the tip of the mitral valve is in the center of the image and the descending thoracic aorta is visible. Adjust the gain to maximize the visibility of the myocardium and mitral valve, and move the focus of the region of interest most focused at a depth of the mitral valve. To obtain this image, place the patient as previously demonstrated or in the supine position.Place the transducer approximately 90 degrees relative to the transducer in the parasternal long axis. Then tilt the transducer until the mid papillary muscles are visualized for the focus assessment. Tilt the transducer toward the base of the heart.Start with a deeper image to identify any pleural effusion. Adjust the depth to include the full depth of the left ventricle and diffuse centimeters beyond to ensure that a pericardial effusion would be fully visualized. Adjust the gain to maximize visualization of the septum and papillary muscles.Afterward, adjust the focus to the papillary muscles. Position the patient on their left side with their left arm extended above their head. If a significant artifact is present, have the patient exhale and hold their breath to minimize pulmonary artifact.Position the transducer in the fourth through sixth intercostal space along the left anterior auxiliary line, with the transducer marker pointed to the left axilla. Move the transducer lateral, medial or coddle to obtain an optimal apical four chamber view. If necessary, lift the breast tissue to allow probe access.If the left ventricular apex is not fully visualized, move the transducer lateral while orienting the transducer toward the right shoulder. In the normal heart, the apex of the left ventricle is at the top and center of the sector, the right ventricle is triangular and smaller, and the myocardium should be uniform from the apex to the atrio ventricular valves. Now capture an apical four chamber view that includes both atria ventricles, the inter ventricular septum, and the lateral portions of the tricuspid and mitral annuli.The aortic valve and left ventricular outflow tract should only be present in an apical five chamber view. To improve the image of the valves, slide the transducer up or down a rib space, and tilt the base of the transducer down. If the base of the transducer is tilted too far down, an apical five chamber view, including the aortic valve, will appear, and the transducer should be tilted back up to optimize the apical four chamber view.Rotate the base of the transducer toward the patient's midline to optimize the inter ventricular septum position, which should be present vertically in the center of the image. Image both the atria and increase the depth to include both atria at the image's deepest point and accommodate the left and right ventricular free walls. Adjust the gain to maximize visibility, often resulting in increased echogenicity of the myocardium, the mitral valvular annulus, and the tricuspid valvular annulus.Adjust the focus to the depth of the valvular annuli. The focused cardiac ultrasound parasternal long axis, parasternal short axis, apical four chamber, subcostal four chamber, and inferior vena cava images are being shown. The stereotactic and psychomotor aspects of the focused cardiac ultrasound require repetition, time, and experience to achieve mastery.The experience should include the performance of exams on patients with varying body habitus in a diversity of clinical settings. There are some clinical scenarios in which limitations cannot be overcome. A skilled provider will recognize situations in which focused cardiac ultrasound should not be performed and pursue alternative investigations such as transesophageal or comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography.

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1.2K Views.  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Focused cardiac ultrasound allows clinicians to perform problem-oriented ultrasound exams at the bedside to answer real-time clinical questions. The process is rapid, pragmatic, and repeatable in the clinical setting. The implications of this exam are applicable across the spectrum of critical illness because it provides information to aid in the clinical assessment of cardiac function, fluid status, and other hemodynamic features.Demonstrating this procedure will be doctors Adam Gottu...