Research Methods & Ultrasound Literature

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

The course is 1 semester full-time or 2 semesters part-time via distance education. A semester duration is 12 weeks. For students completing full-time there will be four subjects per semester, and for part-time, two subjects per semester. Subjects must be taken in sequence.

170 hours per 12.5 credit point subject

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Student Equity and Disability Support Team: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will provide advanced knowledge for the performance and interpretation of 3-Dimensional echocardiography, as well as introducing new technologies and novel applications of clinical ultrasound.

Topics include:

1. Transducer design and method of 3-D reconstruction
2. How to perform 3-D transthoracic examination
3. How to perform 3-D transoesophageal examination
4. Understanding cropping and manipulation of recorded images
5. Reporting 3-D examinations

The completion of the subject, students should:

1. Learn techniques to optimise 3-D echocardiography acquisition
2. Learn how to perform complex 3-D modelling of the mitral valve
3. Learn how to quantify 3-D ventricular volumes
4. Learn how to assess actual and ventricular septal defects, and role of 3-D imaging during percutaneous closure.
5. Interpret 25 3-D echocardiography case studies
6. Understand myocardial tissue stress and strain imaging
7. Understand contrast echocardiography
8. Understand the use of TOE for lung imaging
9. Learn the use of ultrasound for examination of joints
10. Learn the use of ultrasound for chronic pain blocks
11. Understand diagnostic algorithms incorporating heart and lung ultrasound for emergency medicine
12. Learn about abdominal blood flow imaging
13. Learn about the use of echocardiography for percutaneous catheter-based procedures

1. 50% of assessment: one open-book multiple-choice examination of 50 questions which takes 100 minutes, during exam week.

2. 20% of assessment: completion of multiple choice questions following each tutorial (10 MCQ takes 20 minutes for each of 10 tutorials (200 minutes total).

3. 30% Case studies. Interpretation of 25 case studies, during semester, assessed by structured questions pertaining to each case (5 MCQ per case). Total time is 250 minutes.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.