Lesson 1Standardized views and sequence: lung zones (anterior/lateral/posterior as feasible), cardiac FoCUS, IVC, focused lower-extremity venous examThis lesson describes a practical, repeatable scan order for short-breath patients, hitting front, side, and back lung areas if possible, then targeted heart views, main vein check, and focused leg vein exam to smooth work flow.
Front and side lung area scan planBack lung check when setup allowsTargeted heart views order in unstableMain vein imaging in full examFocused leg vein squash orderLesson 2Clinical priorities for acute dyspnea with heart failure history: hypoxia, pulmonary edema, cardiogenic shock, thromboembolismThis lesson sets quick priorities in short-breath heart weak patients, using POCUS to fast check low oxygen, lung water, heart shock, and clots, blending clinic data to guide sorting, steadying, and care step-up.
Starting air, breath, flow checkPOCUS for quick low oxygen and shock sortSpotting heart vs non-heart waterScreening right heart strain and clotsRisk sort and place choicesLesson 3Machine settings for lung and cardiac imaging: depth, harmonics, lung presets, cardiac presetsThis lesson covers ultrasound machine tweaks for lung and heart images, including depth, brightness, wave boosts, presets, and save, to better see water lines, lung surfaces, heart rooms, and main vein moves in tough patients.
Depth and focus for lung and surfaceBrightness, range, and depth gainWave boosts and noise tweaksPicking and changing lung and heart presetsImage tags, clips, and record settingsLesson 4Common limitations and pitfalls: B-line etiologies beyond cardiogenic edema, body habitus and probe limitations, false-negative DVT scansThis lesson tackles usual limits and traps in lung-heart-vein POCUS, like non-heart water line causes, body build and probe limits, partial vein checks, and thinking bias, with ways to cut false comfort and wrong diagnosis.
Non-heart causes of spread water linesExtra weight and air under skin effectsSpotting partial or low-quality vein scansDodging over-trust in one POCUS bitLists, re-looks, and recordsLesson 5POCUS targets: lung comet-tail B-lines, pleural effusion, cardiac function, IVC and lower extremity DVT scanningThis lesson details main POCUS aims in sudden short breath: lung water tails and sac water, overall and area heart work, and main vein and leg vein scans to find backup, right heart strain, and deep leg clots adding to symptoms.
Scanning water tail and dry line patternsFinding and describing sac waterTargeted left and right heart pump checkMain vein size and squeeze for fluid stateLeg vein clot squash planLesson 6Management decisions based on findings: diuretics, noninvasive ventilation, vasodilators, need for ICU or cardiology input, anticoagulation for DVT/PE suspicionThis lesson shows turning POCUS results into bed care: dosing water pills, openers, and no-tube breath help, choosing clot thinners for suspected leg or lung clots, and deciding intensive care or heart advice need.
Tweaking water pills on backup patternsUsing POCUS to steer no-tube breathOpener and strength drug picks in shockClot thinner when leg or lung clot suspectedRules for intensive care move and heart adviceLesson 7Interpreting POCUS patterns: cardiogenic pulmonary edema vs ARDS vs pneumonia vs pneumothoraxThis lesson explains blending lung, heart, and vein POCUS patterns to tell heart lung water from lung damage, lung infection, and air leak, stressing pattern spotting, vital blends, and shared look awareness.
Spread water lines and sac features in heart waterMixed water lines and packs in lung damageSpot packs and moving air signs in infectionNo lung slide and air spot in air leakMatching clashing lung and heart resultsLesson 8When to stop relying on POCUS: need for chest radiograph, CT pulmonary angiography, formal echocardiography, invasive monitoringThis lesson sets when POCUS alone not enough and needs more images or checks, listing chest x-ray, lung vessel CT, full heart ultrasound, and inner flow check signs in unstable or tricky patients.
Warning for quick lung vessel CTReasons for full heart ultrasoundChest x-ray role in tricky lung bitsTiming inner flow checkRecording doubt and sharing limitsLesson 9Anatomical landmarks and dynamic signs: A-lines vs B-lines, lung sliding, pleural effusion layering, LV systolic function, IVC collapsibilityThis lesson focuses on key body markers and moving ultrasound signs in lung-heart-vein POCUS, including dry lines, water lines, lung slide, sac water layers, left pump strength, and main vein squeeze for quick, right bed reading.
Spotting dry and water lines in lung viewsChecking lung slide and pulseFinding and grading sac water layersEye guess left pump strengthSizing main vein and squeezeLesson 10Probe choices and rationale: phased-array for cardiac, curvilinear for lung and pleural, linear for DVT and superficial pleural detailThis lesson reviews probe picks and reasons for sudden short breath POCUS, including phased for heart and main vein, curved for lung and sac, straight for leg clots and surface sac detail, with switch tips in revival.
Phased probe for heart and main veinCurved probe for lung and sac checkStraight probe for leg clots and surface sacProbe pick in heavy or swollen patientsQuick probe switch and germ control
