This program will provide a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art 2-D, Doppler and transesophageal echocardiography with a strong emphasis on newer and more rapidly changing areas. The topics to be covered include diastology, ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, application of TEE in clinical practice, and cardiomyopathy. The role of echo relative to the newer imaging modalities will be discussed. There are also afternoon workshops on heart failure, hemodynamics, congenital heart disease, and stress echo. The final workshop will include a series of clinical cases which will focus on integrating various imaging modalities to provide the highest quality of patient care. The course is designed for the clinician and sonographer who are actively involved in adult echocardiography and wish to gain additional practical experience in these specific areas. Daily reading sessions will provide the opportunity to interpret case studies and to compare and discuss diagnoses with the faculty. An integrated format combining theory and practice will be utilized. In the morning sessions, a traditional lecture series will present state-of-the-art information on selected topics. Application of the techniques to clinical practice will be emphasized.

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Use echocardiographic and Doppler methods to assess hemodynamics and cardiac function
• Demonstrate the application of Doppler principles to assessing hemodynamics including valvular heart disease
• Apply stress testing combined with the use of cardiac ultrasound
• Utilize echocardiography to determine which patients should be referred for surgery versus medical therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease
• Identify the critical role that echo plays in structural heart disease and interventional procedures