This book offers both experienced cardiologists and trainees alike with an opportunity to identify and address the most common pitfalls encountered with echocardiology in routine clinical practice. The book covers a series of challenges ranging from technical difficulties to problems with echocardiographic interpretation while each section presenting a series of simulations, which test the reader's understanding of the problem. The text is written in a highly practical and didactic manner which will help the busy physician by presenting the information in a succinct, 'essentials only' manner. The heavy use of high quality illustrations serves to ensure that the concepts explained are supported by real-life examples and thus readily applicable to the clinical setting. Features Edited by an international expert. Abundant use of full-colour allows accurate representation of images to afford detailed discussion of the techniques involved. Didactic approach ensures delivery of key information in manageable portions thus saving time for the busy cardiologist. Includes the most frequents pitfalls associated with a range of techniques thus ensuring applicability to a variety of clinical settings and equipment availability. Contents TECHNICAL PITFALLS 1. The physical limitations of echocardiography 2. Ultrasound artefacts 3. Patient hypoechogenicity 4. Pitfalls due to adjustments of the echocardiogram 5. Other technical pitfalls DIAGNOSTIC PITFALLS 6. Cardiac valves 7. Cardiac walls 8. Cardiac cavities 9. Systolic and diastolic ventricular function 10. Pulmonary arterial pressures 11. Thoracic aorta
