Certification in Screening Echocardiography
• A standard transthoracic study is necessarily comprehensive and detailed in order to minimise the risk of failing to detect even minor abnormalities. It therefore takes about 40 minutes to perform and report. Furthermore there is usually a delay between the request and the main echocardiography department being able to despatch a sonographer to perform the study even for an urgent case.
• However physicians caring for acutely ill patients often need an echocardiogram with little or no delay. They may also have simple clinical questions which involve ruling out major pathology e.g. pericardial tamponade severe LV impairment, severe valve thickening or regurgitation and RV dilatation.
• A screening echocardiogram is designed to rule out major pathology. An abnormal screening echocardiogram necessitates a standard study, but first-line management can continue whilst this is being arranged.
• Screening echocardiography may be appropriate for intensivists, emergency physicians and specialists in acute medicine.
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Dr S Bruemmer-Smith and Anna Griffiths have developed a curriculum for a screening echocardiography training course. The certification for this will occur within the main department based on a British Society of Echocardiography model with Critical Care trainers and assessors and a dataset of examination questions drawn up by all members of Adult Echocardiography.
Two ICU consultant have achieved formal certification and four more are in training. It is also anticipated that the certification process could be extended to specialists in acute medicine and emergency medicine.
Two ICU consultant have achieved formal certification and four more are in training. It is also anticipated that the certification process could be extended to specialists in acute medicine and emergency medicine.
