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Table 1 10-point maximum skill test scoring system

From: Pre-clinical medical student cardiac point-of-care ultrasound curriculum based on the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations: a pilot and feasibility study

5 cardiac POCUS views

Points

Image quality criteria

Parasternal long-axis view

2

Excellent:

All 7 chambers and anatomical structures (LA, LV, LVOT, RV, AV, MV, and IVS) visualized or similar to the excellent quality referencea.

1

Acceptable:

One chamber (LA, LV, or RV) severely foreshortened or one anatomical structure (LVOT, AV, MV, or IVS) not visualized well.

0

Poor:

Any two of chambers or structures (LA, LV, LVOT, RV, AV, MV, and IVS) severely foreshortened/not visualized well, the left and right sides of the image are flipped, raters do not recognize the view as a parasternal long-axis view, or no image obtained.

Parasternal short-axis view (papillary muscle level)

2

Excellent:

All 4 chambers and anatomical structures (round LV, RV, papillary muscles, and IVS) visualized or similar to the excellent quality referencea.

1

Acceptable:

One chamber or anatomical structure (round LV, RV, papillary muscles, or IVS) not visualized well, oval LV, significant lateral wall drop out of LV compared to the excellent quality referencea, or mitral level of parasternal short-axis view.

0

Poor:

Any two of chambers or anatomical structures (round LV, RV, papillary muscles, and IVS) not visualized well, apical level or aortic valve level of parasternal short-axis view, the left and right sides of the image are flipped, raters do not recognize the view as a parasternal short-axis view, or no image obtained.

Apical 4-chamber view

2

Excellent:

All 8 chambers and anatomical structures (LA, LV, RA, RV, MV, TV, IAS, and IVS) visualized or similar to the excellent quality referencea.

1

Acceptable:

One chamber (LA, LV, RA, or RV) severely foreshortened, one anatomical structure (MV, TV, IAS, or IVS) not visualized well, aortic outflow added (5-chamber view), or significant lateral wall drop out of LV compared to the excellent quality referencea.

0

Poor:

Any two of chambers or anatomical structures (LA, LV, RA, RV, MV, TV, IAS, and IVS) not visualized well, the left and right sides of the image are flipped, raters do not recognize the view as a apical 4-chamber view, or no image obtained.

Subcostal 4-chamber view

2

Excellent:

All 7 chambers and anatomical structures (LA, LV, RA, RV, IAS, IVS, and liver) visualized or similar to the excellent quality referencea.The left and right side flipped image does not affect the subcostal 4-chamber view scoring.

1

Acceptable:

One chamber or anatomical structure (LA, LV, RA, RV, IAS, IVS, or liver) severely foreshortened/not visualized well or aortic outflow added (5-chamber view).

0

Poor:

Any two of chambers or anatomical structures (LA, LV, RA, RV, IAS, IVS, and liver) not visualized well, raters do not recognize the view as a subcostal 4-chamber view, or no image obtained.

Subcostal IVC view

2

Excellent:

IVC visualized in a longitudinal fashion, connection of IVC to RA visualized clearly, and IVC diameter ≥ 1.0 cm at 2 cm from RA-IVC junction, or similar to the excellent quality referencea. The left and right side flipped image does not affect the subcostal IVC view scoring.

1

Acceptable:

IVC diameter ≥ 1.0 cm at 2 cm from RA-IVC junction, but no clear connection of IVC to RA, or IVC not visualized in a longitudinal fashion.

0

Poor:

IVC diameter < 1.0 cm at 2 cm from RA-IVC junction, descending aorta imaged instead of IVC, raters do not recognize the view as a subcostal IVC view, or no image obtained.

  1. POCUS, point-of-care ultrasound; LA, left atrium; LV, left ventricle; LVOT, left ventricle outflow tract; RV, right ventricle; AV, aortic valve; MV, mitral valve; IVS, interventricular septum; RA, right atrium; TV, tricuspid valve; IAS, interatrial septum; IVC, inferior vena cava
  2. aExcellent quality reference refers to an image obtained by the cardiologist (MI) on the healthy volunteer used for all skill tests (Fig. 2)
  3. NOTE: The 2-point maximum scores for each of the 5 cardiac POCUS views are added for the 10-point maximum skill test score