CSN023 Cardiac Ultrasound 3
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | CSN023 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | (CSN022 or PCN259) and (CSN031 or PCN497-2) |
| Equivalent(s): | PCN359 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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Unit Outline: Flexible Period - 05A 2027, Online (Start Date: 08 Feb 2027)
| Unit code: | CSN023 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | CSN022 and CSN031 |
Overview
This unit is the third echocardiographic theory unit, focussing primarily on the qualitative and quantitative assessment of native valvular disease and prosthetic valves, including the limitations of each assessment method and their application in clinical practice. The content extends and builds on the basic foundational principles covered in CSN021 Cardiac Ultrasound 1 and CSN022 Cardiac Ultrasound 2. Professional issues relevant to cardiac sonography, including ethical and legal considerations, and the importance of cultural safety in healthcare are explored, with particular attention to the perspectives and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Perform specialised echocardiographic assessments that comprehensively evaluate native valvular heart disease and/or prosthetic heart valve function on real patients in a clinical setting.
- Describe and demonstrate detailed specialised knowledge and echocardiography assessment of adult valvular heart disease, prosthetic and repaired valve function, percutaneous valvular interventions and infective endocarditis.
- Accurately justify and perform advanced Doppler haemodynamic calculations used in both real-world and scenario-based echocardiology examinations.
- Effectively communicate clinical findings, interpretations, and research using the written and digital formats expected within the echocardiography profession
- Demonstrate awareness of culturally safe practices within the healthcare environment.
Content
The unit covers the following topic areas:
- Doppler haemodynamic calculations:
- Valve area calculations
- Quantitative valve regurgitation calculations
- Limitations of these calculations, including how these may be recognised, avoided and/or overcome
- Echocardiographic Assessment of Valvular Heart Disease:
- Assessment of native valvular pathology, including rheumatic heart disease and its disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities
- 3D assessment and quantification of valvular lesions
- Surgical and transcatheter valve replacements
- Complications associated with prosthetic valves
- Transcatheter edge-to-edge valve repairs
- Diagnosis and monitoring of infective endocarditis
- Journal Article (Case Report) Composition and Peer Review:
- Develop the ability to research, synthesise and present findings on a patient case that you have encountered
- Submit a case report for anonymous peer review and self-reflection via Feedback Fruits
- Preparation of a Case Report manuscript suitable for submission to a reputable cardiology journal
- Guidance/Instructions to the Author provided, including manuscript formatting and Vancouver referencing requirements.
- Access to case report exemplars available in Canvas.
- Culturally Safe Practices:
- Exploration of culturally safe approaches to echocardiography through a video presentation by a sonographer working in the Northern Territory, discussing experiences delivering cardiac and community healthcare to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in remote Australia.
Learning Approaches
The unit is delivered primarily through online lectures accessible via Canvas. Engagement occurs through online discussion forums, fortnightly Drop-in sessions, and weekly Canvas announcements that guide you through the content and assessments. Additional learning resources include computer-based materials, weekly online quizzes with instant feedback, and a measurement tutorial platform using real clinical images. Weekly recommended readings support each lecture. A guest lecture from a sonographer working in remote Indigenous communities provides insight into culturally safe practice and awareness of rheumatic heart disease, which disproportionately affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This aligns with Week 3 content on mitral stenosis.
You will complete a 1500-word journal article in the form of a case report. This assessment requires you to conduct a literature review on a specific valvular heart disease condition you have imaged in your workplace and to develop a case report suitable for submission to an ultrasound journal. The case report will undergo anonymous peer review and self-reflection via Feedback Fruits. GenAI use is authorised and recommended for preparatory work, and mandatory for proofing work for this assessment. You are required to verify all information using contemporary, evidence-based sources from the QUT Library database, and drafts are submitted to Studiosity for feedback on academic writing quality prior to final submission.
This unit is supported by an intensive block during pre-Welcome Week (approximately 2 days) which combines tutorials, demonstrations and interactive scanning sessions delivered at Gardens Point campus. Content includes:
- Practical scanning stations (including PEDOF from all windows)
- Haemodynamic bootcamp
- Porcine heart dissection for advanced echocardiography practice
- Pulmonary hypertension tutorial
- Image optimisation interactive session with live demonstrations
- Critical case scenarios
- Adult congenital heart disease workshop
- Code of Conduct
- Cultural Responsivity workshop.
Clinical experience in your workplace is a key component of the unit. Accredited Cardiac Sonographer/s or Echocardiologist/s approved by QUT will supervise your clinical learning, ensuring appropriate case exposure and monitoring progress.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit through participation in online discussion board forums and during online interactive sessions (drop-in sessions) with course staff and peers.
Studiosity, an online AI-powered service, will provide you with 24/7, almost immediate, formative writing feedback when preparing your case report assessment task. Peers will provide anonymous feedback via the Peer submission process. Feedback for the final case study submission will be provided by an experienced senior Cardiac Physiologists via a video screencast, and this will allow you to see how measurements would be performed correctly, how the image control settings are manipulated and hear the commentary from the assessors on how to improve the examination. This aims to reflect real-world practice.
You will engage throughout the semester with weekly, online tutorial quizzes which provide instant feedback on your understanding of the content material. There is also an online measurements tutorial website which allows you to practice and improve your measurement techniques on real-life images in a simulated environment. Instant feedback is provided by reviewing the expert-level measurement for each image.
Results for all assessments will be displayed under 'My Grades' on the Canvas site for this unit.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit, you will complete two assessment items:
- A case report on a valvular pathology you have imaged in your workplace
- A written theory exam.
Exemplary case reports (published journal case reports and case reports from previous students) will be available on Canvas. A practice exam paper will also be available on Canvas.
The case report includes a peer-review component, graded on a complete/incomplete basis. If the peer-review requirement is not completed, a deduction of 30% will be applied to the final grade for the case report.
Both assessment items contribute to your final unit grade. Threshold conditions apply to the written exam. To pass the unit, you must achieve at least 50% on this assessment. If your mark is within 10% (or one grade band) of the pass level, you are permitted one resubmission of a similar assessment task (e.g. supplementary exam) to achieve the minimum pass mark.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case report
The aim of this assessment is to develop your ability to research and present findings on a given valvular pathology.
You are required to image a patient with a specific valvular pathology and submit a case report on the findings. You will review relevant evidence-based literature and will include your imaging to effectively demonstrate the chosen pathology.
The case report should consist of the following subsections: Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, Conclusion and Reference List.
The case report format will reflect the publication requirements of a relevant ultrasound journal, Cardiovascular Imaging Case Report (CASE), and provide the opportunity for submission on completion of the assessment.
Your case report submission will be uploaded to Feedback Fruits for anonymous peer review and reflection. Once peer review process is complete the final case report is submitted via Canvas.
The QUT librarian has pre-recorded a lecture on evidence-based best practice and how to locate recommended health databases (e.g. UpToDate and Embase) to support you in performing a timely review of the literature for this case report submission.
You will develop your ability to research, present findings and introduce the use of GenAI to assist with preparatory work (brainstorming, information searches and proofing). It is mandatory that you submit your draft report to the AI powered service that provides live, on-demand, skill support and same day English-writing feedback. The use of AI should augment your learning experience and not replace your own intellectual work, and the final output should reflect your analysis and understanding.
It is a requirement of this task that you submit your draft report and a Studiosity report with your final submission.
The peer review component of this assessment is graded as complete/incomplete. The final case report submission is graded from 1-7.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details page for specific guidelines.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Examination (theory)
End of semester examination. The examination includes a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions, clinical image interpretation, and performance and analysis of haemodynamic calculations.
A detailed marking criteria is used for the allocation of grades. A moderation process including cross-marking of submissions ensures individual markers apply standards consistently and fairly.
This is an invigilated examination. Students are required to attend an examination location near their place of work during the central examination period.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited in this assessment.
Threshold Assessment:
Threshold conditions apply. If you do not achieve the pass level for this assessment task you are able to make one resubmission of this work for the minimum pass level, only when the achieved mark/grade is within 10% (or 1 grade) of the pass level for the assessment item. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The QUT bookshop stocks the recommended text for this course. All ASE guidelines are free and available online.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Anderson, B (2014). A Sonographer's Guide to the Assessment of Heart Disease. MGA Graphics (This text is strongly recommended for all students)
Anderson, B. (2017). Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements (3rd ed.). Brisbane: MGA Graphics. (This text is strongly recommended for all students)
Reference book(s)
Otto, C.M. (2023). Textbook of Clinical Echocardiography (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier.
Other
American Society of Echocardiography Guideline and Recommendations: www.asecho.org
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.CS61 Graduate Diploma in Cardiac Ultrasound
- Apply advanced specialist knowledge of the principles and techniques of cardiac ultrasound digital imaging, anatomy and pathology.
Relates to: Examination (theory) - Critically analyse clinical information to accurately differentiate normal cardiac anatomy and complex cardiac pathologies.
Relates to: Examination (theory) - Communicate effectively with peers and multidisciplinary health professionals to explore the diagnostic value and limitations of cardiac ultrasound imaging.
Relates to: Case report, Examination (theory) - Practice as a reflective, ethical and collaborative professional committed to the sustainability of quality assured cardiac sonography practice.
Relates to: Case report