Subcostal view

Figure 1: Heart structures that can be observed using the subcostal view. A - cross section; B - detail ; C - ultrasound. RA - right atrium; LA - left atrium; RV - right ventricle; LV - left ventricle.

With the subcostal view, the following structures can be visualized:

• All heart chambers (left and right ventricles and left and right atria).

With this projection, you can assess:

• visual assessment of ventricle and atrial sizes,

• presence and grading of pericardial effusion (however, this is also done in the other projections).

If you rotate the transducer counter clockwise, vena cava can be visualized. With this view, you can visualize:

• mainly vena cava and the right atrium.

You can assess:

• visual estimation of vena cava diameter and collapse during inspiration, or M-mode of vena cava diameter and collapse during inspiration. This gives an estimated pressure in the RA (=CVP - central venous pressure)