CCI RCS Comprehensive Master Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on the CCI RCS Comprehensive Master Study Guide covering imaging principles, valvular assessment, hemodynamics, and ultrasound physics.

Clinical History

The patient story used to understand why an echo was ordered and which findings deserve particular attention; it guides the study but does not equal the final diagnosis.

Ergonomics

Safety practices for scanning, including keeping the patient close, relaxing the scanning shoulder, maintaining a neutral wrist, and avoiding excessive grip force.

Acoustic Window

The specific location on the patient's body where the transducer is placed to obtain images.

PLAX (Parasternal Long Axis)

A view showing the RV near field, IVS, LV, MV, LVOT/AV, aortic root/ascending aorta, and LA.

Foreshortening

A technical error where the LV looks shorter and rounder than reality because the true apex is not imaged, leading to inaccurate Simpson volumes.

M-mode

A modality that records motion over time along one ultrasound line, providing very high temporal resolution for dimensions and myocardial thickness.

PW (Pulsed Wave) Doppler

A Doppler mode that measures flow at a selected sample location, offering range/site specificity for lower velocities but subject to aliasing.

CW (Continuous Wave) Doppler

A Doppler mode that measures along the entire beam path, capable of recording very high velocities but lacking range specificity.

BART

A standard color Doppler convention meaning Blue Away, Red Toward.

Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI)

A modality that measures tissue/myocardial velocities rather than blood-flow velocity, such as the mitral-annular $e'$.

GLS (Global Longitudinal Strain)

A measure of myocardial deformation reported as a negative percentage, where a more negative value indicates more shortening.

Frame Rate

The frequency at which a system produces unique consecutive images; improved by reducing depth, narrowing the sector, or reducing focal zones.

Atrioventricular (AV) Valves

The Tricuspid and Mitral valves, which have chordae tendineae and papillary muscles.

Semilunar Valves

The Aortic and Pulmonic valves, which consist of three cusps and do not have chordae.

Lambl Excrescences

Mobile filaments associated with the nodules of Arantius that can be mistaken for vegetations.

Simplified Bernoulli Equation

The formula used to calculate pressure gradients: $\Delta P = 4V^2$.

Continuity Equation (AVA)

The formula used to calculate aortic valve area: $AVA = \frac{CSA(LVOT) \times VTI(LVOT)}{VTI(AV)}$.

Severe Aortic Stenosis Criteria

Supplied criteria specifying $V_{max} \ge 4.0\,m/s$, mean gradient $\ge 40\,mmHg$, and $AVA \le 1.0\,cm^2$.

Pressure Half-Time (PHT)

Measurement used to estimate mitral valve area: $MVA \approx \frac{220}{PHT}$.

Vena Contracta

The narrowest region of a regurgitant jet just downstream from the orifice.

PISA (Proximal Isovelocity Surface Area)

The flow convergence region moving toward a regurgitant orifice.

Vegetation

A mobile echodensity attached to a valve in a bacteremic patient, suggesting endocarditis.

Moderator Band

A muscular landmark used to identify the right ventricle (RV).

Ductus Arteriosus

A fetal shunt between the pulmonary trunk and aortic arch that bypasses the lungs and becomes the ligamentum arteriosum after birth.

Foramen Ovale

A fetal interatrial shunt from the RA to the LA that becomes the fossa ovalis after closure.

LAD (Left Anterior Descending)

The coronary artery that supplys the front (anterior), septum, and apex of the heart.

LCX (Left Circumflex)

The coronary artery that supplys the lateral LV territories.

Ejection Fraction (EF)

The percentage of ventricular end-diastolic volume ejected during systole: $EF = \frac{EDV - ESV}{EDV} \times 100$.

Fractional Shortening (FS)

The linear systolic change in the LV: $FS = \frac{LVIDd - LVIDs}{LVIDd} \times 100$.

TAPSE

Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion; M-mode excursion of the lateral tricuspid annulus, with a threshold of $1.7\,cm$.

Grade I Diastolic Dysfunction

A pattern of impaired relaxation characterized by $E/A < 1$ and $DT > 200\,ms$.

MPI (Tei Index)

Myocardial Performance Index combining systolic and diastolic intervals: $\frac{IVCT + IVRT}{\text{ejection time}}$.

ALARA

As Low As Reasonably Achievable; the principle of using minimum ultrasound output/exposure for diagnostic purposes.

Axial Resolution

The ability to separate objects along the beam, determined by Spatial Pulse Length (SPL).

Lateral Resolution

The ability to separate objects side-by-side, determined by beam width.

Nyquist Limit

The point at which aliasing occurs in PW/Color Doppler, equal to $\frac{PRF}{2}$.

Reverberation

An artifact appearing as repeated, equally spaced lines caused by multiple reflections between strong reflectors.

Acoustic Shadowing

Signal loss distal to a strong attenuator or reflector, such as calcification or a prosthesis.