This course provides a foundation for the core principles of cardiovascular sonography along with the recognition of normal cardiovascular anatomy. This course develops students’ understanding and assessment of systolic and diastolic function, including LV measurements and assessment of ejection fraction, fractional shortening, stroke volume, and cardiac output. Critical thinking will be emphasized by reviewing and evaluating normal measurements, normal structures, and normal anatomy/physiology with case study evaluations. Concentrated areas of study include cardiac embryology, walls and layers of the heart, cardiac conduction cycles, pressure gradients and cardiac valves and chambers. Additionally, this course discusses the application and techniques of 2D cardiac imaging, basic protocols and introduction of Mmode of the heart. DCS 323L will provide the laboratory application of techniques studied in DCS 323A