The ICAEL example pediatric echocardiography imaging protocol (used at TCH).

PLAX

  • Parasternal long axis of the left atrium, mitral valve, aortic valve, left ventricle and interventricular septum
  • Parasternal 2-D sweep starting at the aorta to the tricuspid valve to the pulmonary valve
  • Zoom on the aortic valve
  • Obtain measurements of the aortic annulus, aortic root and sinotubular junction at end diastole
  • Color and interrogation of the aortic valve Color interrogation of the mitral valve
  • Color and spectral Doppler of the tricuspid valve
  • Color interrogation of the interventricular septum
  • Color and spectral Doppler of the pulmonary valve

PSAX

  • Parasternal short axis view of the aortic valve, main pulmonary artery, left atrium, right atrium, tricuspid valve and right ventricle
  • Zoom on the aortic valve; visualize all three leaflets
  • Color interrogation of the aortic valve
  • Visualize the coronary arteries by 2-D and color Doppler to confirm flow
  • 2-D sweep from the base of the heart to the apex
  • Zoom on the main pulmonary artery and branch pulmonaries
  • Take measurements of the pulmonary valve and main pulmonary artery
  • Take measurements of the right and left pulmonary arteries
  • Color interrogation of the main and branch pulmonary arteries
  • Pulse Doppler of the main and branch pulmonary arteries
  • Color and spectral Doppler of the tricuspid valve
  • If TR is present, obtain peak velocity
  • 2-D sweep from the base of the heart to the apex
  • 2-D of left ventricle at the mitral valve and papillary muscle level
  • M-mode of the left ventricle
  • Show M-mode measurements
  • Color sweep of the interventricular septum
  • Zoom on the pulmonary valve and main pulmonary artery

Apical

  • 2-D sweep of the apical four chamber starting posteriorly at the coronary sinus level and sweeping anteriorly to the left ventricular outflow tract and then to the right ventricular outflow tract
  • 2-D of the 3 chamber view
  • 2-D of the 2 chamber view
  • 2-D of the 5 chamber view
  • Zoom on the mitral valve; take measurement
  • Color interrogation of the mitral valve
  • Pulse Doppler of the mitral valve
  • Time measurement for MPI
  • 2-D of the left ventricular outflow tract
  • Color interrogation of the aortic valve and left ventricular outflow tract
  • Pulse Doppler of the left ventricular outflow tract
  • Time measurement for MPI
  • Zoom on the tricuspid valve; take measurement
  • Color interrogation of the tricuspid valve
  • Pulse Doppler of the tricuspid valve
  • Zoom on the left atrium, focusing on the pulmonary veins
  • Color interrogation of the right upper pulmonary vein
  • Pulse Doppler of the vein
  • Color interrogation of the left lower pulmonary vein
  • Pulse Doppler of the vein
  • Color interrogation of the interventricular septum
  • Strain imaging as needed in this view

Subcostal

  • 2-D clip of abdominal sites
  • Color interrogation of the abdominal aorta in long axis
  • Pulse Doppler of the aorta
  • Color interrogation of the inferior vena cava
  • Pulse Doppler of the vena cava
  • Invert images, 2-D sweep of the subcostal long axis
  • 2-D sweep of the subcostal short axis
  • Color interrogation of the superior vena cava
  • Pulse Doppler of the vena cava
  • Zoom on the atrial septum
  • Color interrogation of the atrial septum
  • Pulse Doppler of the septum
  • Color and Pulse Doppler of the pulmonary veins if attainable
  • Color interrogation of the left ventricular outflow tract
  • Pulse Doppler of the left ventricular outflow tract
  • Color interrogation of the right ventricular outflow tract
  • Pulse Doppler of the right ventricular outflow tract
  • Color interrogation of the interventricular septum

Suprasternal

  • 2-D short axis views
  • 2-D clip of arch sidedness
  • Color interrogation of arch sidedness
  • Measurement of right pulmonary artery
  • Zoom on left atrium
  • Color interrogation of the pulmonary veins
  • Pulsed Doppler of the pulmonary veins
  • 2-D long axis view of the aortic arch; take measurements
  • Color interrogation of the arch
  • Pulse Doppler of the arch
  • Color interrogation for a patent ductus arteriosus
Examining The Pediatric Transthoracic Echo Protocol
IAC | IAC Newsletter. Retrieved February 13, 2009,
from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission Web site: http://www.intersocietal.org/iac/news/div_icael/ICAELwin09_1.htm