Transthoracic Examination
Transthoracic Examination - Related Videos
14:46
Transthoracic Echocardiographic Examination in the Rabbit Model
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Cited by 2 •
2019
Here we describe, step by step, a detailed protocol for performing echocardiography in the rabbit model. We show how to correctly obtain the different echocardiographic views and imaging planes, as well as the different imaging modes available in a clinical echocardiography system routinely used in human and veterinary patients.
08:09
Transthoracic Echocardiography in Mice
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Cited by 81 •
2010
Transthoracic echocardiography offers a noninvasive method for the evaluation of cardiac function in mice. A combination of ultrasound and Doppler imaging modalities can be used to obtain dimensional measurements of the heart and intracardiac blood flow, which together provide an assessment of cardiac systolic and diastolic performance.
06:03
Use of Electromagnetic Navigational Transthoracic Needle Aspiration (E-TTNA) for Sampling of Lung Nodules
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Cited by 12 •
2015
We describe the novel use of electromagnetic navigational guided transthoracic needle aspiration for the pathologic assessment of human lung nodules.
07:44
Ophthalmoscopic Examination
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2023
Source: Richard Glickman-Simon, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, MA The simplest ophthalmoscopes consist of an aperture to look through, a diopter indicator, and a disc for selecting lenses. The ophthalmoscope is primarily used to examine the fundus, or the inner wall of the posterior eye, which consists of the choroid, retina, fovea, macula, optic disc, and retinal vessels (Figure 1). The spherical eyeball...
35:03
Mental Status Examination
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2023
Source: Carmen Black, Matthew Goldenberg, and Jaideep Talwalkar; Yale School of Medicine The mental status exam is a clinical evaluation of emotional, perceptual, and cognitive functioning that spans both the fields of psychiatry and neurology. Developing skill in the psychiatric portions of the examination are important to describe salient aspects of the patient's mental state that may be observed during routine history and/or physical exam. Proficiency in the cognitive portions of this...
FAQs
Acoustic windows are selected chest-wall locations that allow ultrasound waves to reach the heart and return usable echoes to the transducer. The quality and type of information obtained depend on the images produced through these windows. Using several windows helps examine cardiac chambers, ventricular contraction, valve motion, and pericardial fluid from complementary views.
Doppler analysis adds measurements of blood-flow direction and velocity to the structural information shown in two-dimensional images. These measurements help identify abnormal intracardiac flow and provide functional information that cannot be obtained from anatomy alone. Combining both approaches supports a more complete assessment of how cardiac structures and blood movement relate.
Two-dimensional imaging displays cardiac structures and motion in real time, allowing assessment of chamber size, ventricular contraction, valve movement, and surrounding fluid. Doppler measurements instead characterize blood-flow direction and velocity. Their roles are complementary: one emphasizes anatomy and motion, while the other evaluates flow, helping clinicians connect structural findings with functional abnormalities.
Because transthoracic examination does not use ionizing radiation, it can support repeated cardiovascular assessment without exposing the patient to that type of radiation. This feature is especially relevant when clinicians need ongoing monitoring rather than a single evaluation. Its noninvasive nature and broad availability also make it useful for rapid diagnostic assessment and follow-up.
The examination places an ultrasound transducer against the chest wall and obtains images through selected acoustic windows. Returning echoes are processed into real-time two-dimensional views, while Doppler measurements assess blood-flow direction and velocity. The resulting information is used to evaluate cardiac structure, contraction, valve motion, pericardial fluid, and abnormal intracardiac flow.
A transthoracic examination can evaluate chamber size, ventricular contraction, valve motion, pericardial fluid, and abnormal intracardiac flow. These findings span both cardiac structure and function, allowing the examination to reveal changes in anatomy, movement, or blood flow. The combined assessment helps clinicians characterize cardiovascular abnormalities rather than relying on a single measurement.
Clinicians use this examination for rapid diagnosis, treatment planning, and ongoing monitoring of cardiovascular disease. Its ability to provide real-time structural and flow information helps assess a patient’s current cardiac status and supports decisions about management. Because the method is widely available and noninvasive, it can be incorporated into repeated evaluations as clinical needs change.