Short Courses

Introduction of the fundamental principles of ultrasound and familiarisation with ultrasound machines. After this session candidates will be able to:

• Understand how an image is generated from sound and why certain tissues look different shades of grey on ultrasound
• Recognise the common ultrasound artefacts to assist in diagnosis
• Select the correct transducer/probe and settings for the required exam
• Implement the common conventions when scanning
• Correctly handle a probe and use the common functions and features of ultrasound machines
• Use tips to optimise their scans

The theoretical component is followed by a hands-on session during which candidates familiarise themselves with the scanning process, the various functions of the machine and learn to recognise some key anatomical structures to build a foundation for the rest of the course.

Use of ultrasound to guide vascular access (serves as a basis for all ultrasound guided interventions). After this session the candidates will be able to:

• Appreciate the evidence base for US guided central and peripheral access
• Recognise and differentiate veins and arteries
• Recognise other adjacent structures including muscles, tendons and nerves
• Use an approach for scanning the upper limb veins for peripheral access
• Select the most appropriate vein for cannulation to ensure success, using specific criteria
• Use both in-plane and out-of-plane techniques for cannulation
• Confirm successful cannulation using ultrasound

The didactic session is followed by 2 practical sessions during which the candidates will:
1. Familiarise themselves with the sono anatomy of the key sites and apply criteria for choosing the right vein
2. Perform both in-plane and out-of-plane cannulation techniques on ultrasound phantom blocks.