Echocardiography is a powerful diagnostic tool that allows assessment of cardiac function, detection of cardiovascular abnormalities, and measurement of physiological parameters such as valvular function and left ventricular ejection fraction. Taking a step-by-step approach to transthoracic echocardiography, Making Sense of Echocardiography is the

Andrew R. Houghton is a Consultant Cardiologist at Grantham and District Hospital, Lincolnshire, and a Visiting Fellow at University of Lincoln,

Essential Principles: History of echocardiography. Cardiac anatomy and physiology. Physics and instrumentation. Doppler physics. Service provision. Cardiac Imaging Techniques: The transthoracic echo study. The transoesophageal echo study. The stress echo study. Advanced echo techniques. Alternative cardiac imaging techniques. Clinical Cases: The left heart and its function. Coronary artery disease and regional left ventricular function. The aortic valve. The mitral valve. The right heart. Heart valve repair and replacement. Endocarditis. The cardiomyopathies. The pericardium. The aorta. Cardiac masses. Congenital heart disease. Common echo requests.