Ultrasound of the Liver

Sonography Fundamentals

Materials Included

Text
Video
Anatomy
Simulation
Quiz

This module teaches you how to prepare for and perform an ultrasound examination of the liver.

This module teaches you how to prepare for and perform an ultrasound examination of the liver. The interactive simulator provides three different scan scenarios, including normal and pathological cases. It enables students and practitioners to build or refresh knowledge and cognitive skills, and offers a safe online environment so you can practice and prepare for the real clinical world. Ideal if you are studying for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) registry exams.

You’ll learn

how to prepare and position a patient for an ultrasound of the liver
to practice, perfect and test your skills in performing an ultrasound scan of the liver
which are the best transducer types and what transducer positions and scan planes will help you obtain good images
to better visualize and understand the liver, and surrounding structures, with our 3D anatomy model
to identify the clinical symptoms of liver disease
how to differentiate normal and abnormal sonographic appearances of the liver
how to explain and demonstrate the use of breathing techniques to obtain optimal images of the liver
much more (see Content tab for more detail).

Introduction

Step 0.1 - Basic physiology of the liver

Step 0.2 - Signs and symptoms of liver disease

Step 1 - Preparation

Step 1.1 - Equipment preparation

Step 1.2 - Patient preparation

Step 1.3 - Operator preparation

Step 2 - Expose the abdomen and apply gel

Step 3 - Select the transducer and obtain images of the liver

Step 4 - Commence the liver system scanning protocol

Step 4.1 - Patient Position

Step 4.2 - Scan Plane

Step 4.3 - Standard liver protocol image requirements and observations

Step 4.4 - Annotations required

Step 4.5 - Sonographic features of the normal liver

Step 4.6 - Sonographic features of liver variants

Step 4.7 - Troubleshooting

Step 5 - Scan the liver in the longitudinal and transverse planes

Step 5.1 - Scan the liver in the longitudinal plane

Step 5.2 - Measure the liver in the longitudinal plane

Step 5.3 - Scan the liver in the transverse plane

Step 5.4 - Describe any findings from the longitudinal and transverse images

Step 6 - Hepatic vascular imaging and Doppler

Step 6.1 - Hepatic veins

Step 6.2 - Portal veins

Step 6.3 - Hepatic arteries

Step 7 - Complete the procedure

Indications for ultrasound of the liver
Identify the liver anatomy
Explain liver physiology and laboratory findings
List clinical symptoms of liver disease
Identify the liver ultrasound scan protocol
- Patient preparation
- Transducer selection and preset selection
- Patient positioning
- Transducer positions
- Scan plane
- Identify and obtain sonographic images of liver, vascular structures, ligaments, and fissures of the liver
- Obtain measurements of the liver
Explain and demonstrate the use of breathing techniques to obtain optimal sonographic images of the liver
Differentiate normal and abnormal sonographic appearances of the liver
Differentiate and describe common pathologies of the liver on sonographic images
Identify and obtain images in hepatic trauma
Identify and obtain images in hepatic transplantation
Identify and obtain images of vascular flow abnormalities
Explain the Patient's Bill of Rights, HIPAA Privacy Rule, and Patient Safety Act

The SIMTICS modules are all easy to use and web-based. This means they are available at any time as long as the learner has an internet connection. No special hardware or other equipment is required, other than a computer mouse for use in the simulations. Each of the SIMTICS modules covers one specific procedure or topic in detail. Each module contains:

an online simulation (available in Learn and Test modes)
descriptive text, which explains exactly how to perform that particular procedure including key terms and hyperlinks to references
2D images and a 3D model of applied anatomy for that particular topic
a step by step video demonstration by an expert
a quiz
a personal logbook that keeps track of all the modules the learner has studied and how long