Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography

This virtual session explores advancements in pediatric sonography, emphasizing evolving clinical applications. Participants will gain insight into historical developments in ultrasound and how technological innovation continues to shape pediatric imaging. The session will address common abdominal pathologies in pediatric patients and introduce liver elastography as a tool to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient outcomes in younger populations.

• Define advanced imaging technologies used in pediatric sonography to enhance diagnostic capabilities.
• Describe the historical development of ultrasound to understand its technological evolution in pediatric applications.
• Identify common abdominal pathologies in pediatric imaging and explain how liver elastography supports patient care.

This virtual session provides an exploration of pediatric bowel ultrasounds, focusing on normal anatomy and sonographic techniques. Participants will gain insights into identifying common bowel pathologies such as intussusception, midgut malrotation/volvulus, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The presentation will highlight the clinical value of ultrasound in pediatric settings.

• Identify the normal anatomy and sonographic appearance of the pediatric bowel to support foundational knowledge.
• Describe bowel imaging techniques and protocols using ultrasound to align with clinical indications.
• Recognize sonographic findings and pathophysiology associated with common pediatric bowel conditions for accurate interpretation.

This virtual session explores pediatric lung ultrasound, emphasizing a standardized approach for identifying and differentiating pulmonary pathology. Participants will review normal lung anatomy, protocol-based techniques, and the role of ultrasound in evaluating fluid presence, lung collapse, consolidation, and diaphragm motion. The session aims to increase diagnostic confidence and interprofessional communication by supporting sonographers in integrating lung ultrasound into clinical workflows.

• Identify the sonographic anatomy and appearance of pediatric lungs and adjacent structures to support accurate scanning.
• Recognize common pulmonary pathologies using a standardized lung ultrasound approach for clinical evaluation.
• Understand the role of diaphragm motion assessment in dynamic lung ultrasound for improved interpretation.

This virtual session provides a comprehensive overview of the Fontan circulation, focusing on its echocardiographic evaluation in pediatric and adult patients. Participants will explore surgical staging, unique hemodynamics of single ventricle physiology, and standardized imaging protocols. The session includes case-based examples highlighting key echo views, Doppler strategies, and sonographic indicators of complications such as pathway obstruction and Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD).

• Explain the surgical stages and physiological principles of the Fontan circulation to support understanding of single ventricle anatomy.
• Identify echocardiographic views and Doppler strategies used to evaluate Fontan anatomy, ventricular function, and hepatic venous return.
• Recognize sonographic signs of common Fontan-related complications for timely identification and clinical referral.

This session presents streamlined methods for evaluating fetal cardiac anatomy and function across all trimesters during routine obstetric ultrasound. Attendees will review key sonographic indicators of normal and abnormal cardiac structure, including situs, chamber size and proportion, rhythm, and motion. The session aims to build confidence in recognizing normal patterns and identifying fetuses at risk for structural heart disease or early signs of heart failure.

• Describe key fetal cardiac parameters—such as situs, position, chamber proportions, rhythm, and vessel relationships—used in functional and structural heart assessments.
• Recognize sonographic patterns that differentiate normal from abnormal fetal cardiac anatomy at various gestational ages.
• Identify fetuses at risk for congenital heart disease or congestive heart failure based on cardiac shape and motion patterns.

Screening evaluations of the fetal heart can be intimidating and technically challenging to both learn and perform, yet they are essential for the early detection of congenital heart defects. The three-vessel view (3VV) and three-vessel tracheal view (3VTV) are now part of the standardized fetal heart screening protocol, but remain relatively new in educational curricula and are often misunderstood in clinical practice. This session introduces a memorable and innovative mnemonic, the “Snowman on a Sled,” to improve sonographers’ understanding and acquisition of these views. Attendees will learn how this analogy enhances recognition of both normal and abnormal cardiac anatomy.

• Review the structure and function of the fetal heart and define the standard screening views.
• Examine the clinical value and diagnostic utility of the 3VV and 3VTV views in fetal heart screening.
• Apply the “Snowman on a Sled” analogy to identify normal anatomy and congenital heart defects.