Course Highlights

• The most comprehensive echo course available for neonatologists
• Hands-on training on multiple echo simulators:
  • Obtain complete set of images from all cardiac windows and recognize various structures of a normal heart
  • Recognition of spatial relationship of cardiac structures obtained from cutting planes through a 3 dimensional heart image volume
  • Assessment of cardiac function and estimation of flow using calculation package
  • Differentiating abnormal cardiac structures from a normal heart
• Test of echo skills on simulators and provision of a certificate with successful completion of the test
• Opportunity to perform echocardiography on volunteering children

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the participants are expected to:

• Understand basic principles of ultrasonography
• Recognize basic features of echocardiographic scanners
• Identify correctly basic echocardiographic views
• Evaluate blood flow direction and velocity by pulse and continuous wave and color flow Doppler
• Identify correctly shunts through patent ductus arteriosus and foramen ovale
• Understand application of indices used in measurements of systolic and diastolic function of the heart
• Be able to do quantitative measurements of blood flow through aortic valve, pulmonary valve and superior vena cava on an echo simulator
• Be able to do estimation and measurement of pulmonary arterial pressure by Doppler ultrasound on an echo simulator
• Recognize presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in infants of diabetic mothers
• know echocardiographic findings of pericardial effusion and early signs of cardiac tamponade
• Distinguish normal vs selected CHD using simulators
• Recognize non-cardiac applications of ultrasonography

The participants will also be introduced to the techniques of hands-on echocardiography in the neonate using simulator. However, development of competence to independently obtain quality echocardiograms may require 6 to 9 months of training under supervision in our or any other echocardiography laboratory and NICU.

Course Presentation Schedule

For more information, you could download course brochure pdf file here: Course Brochure

Course Registration Information

• Registration fee is $1000.
• For those in training the registration fee is $700.
• For program information please contact:
  • Ms. Reyna Mayoral, Activity Coordinator at mayoral@usc.edu
  • Bismarck Gutierrez at brg_386@usc.edu
  • call (323) 409-3406
• Space is limited. Please register prior to July 1, 2022