Echo In Life Support

Author: John P Sloan / Editors: Tim Harris, Eric VanDenBergh, Jonathan Leung / Reviewer: James Ward, Amanda King / Code: / Published: 30/12/2021 / Reviewed: 16/07/2026

This module will help you understand the use of Echo in Life Support (ELS).

After completing this session you will be able to:

• Understand the use of Echo in Life Support (ELS)
• Know which images to obtain
• Understand the phased array transducer
• Evaluate the images obtained
• Interpret the images in a clinical setting

References:

1. Soar J, Bttiger BW, Carli P, et al. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2025 Adult Advanced Life Support. Resuscitation. 2025 Oct;215 Suppl 1:110769.
2. Breitkreutz R, Price S, Steiger HV, et al. Focused echocardiographic evaluation in life support and peri-resuscitation of emergency patients: a prospective trial. Resuscitation. 2010 Nov;81(11):1527-33.
3. Tsung JW, Blaivas M. Feasibility of correlating the pulse check with focused point-of-care echocardiography during pediatric cardiac arrest: a case series. Resuscitation. 2008 May;77(2):264-9.
4. Bustam A, et al. Performance of emergency physicians in point-of-care echocardiography following limited training. Emerg Med J. 2014 May;31(5):369-73.
5. Ahern M, Mallin MP, et al. Variability in Ultrasound Education among Emergency Medicine Residencies. West J Emerg Med. 2010 Sep;11(4):314-8.
6. Daniel S, Dallon MD. Bedside echocardiography for prognosis of emergency department cardiac arrest? Best BETs, 2010.
7. Hayhurst C, Lebus C, et al. An evaluation of echo in life support (ELS): is it feasible? What does it add? Emerg Med J. 2011 Feb;28(2):119-21.
8. Jone PN, et al. Right ventricular to left ventricular diameter ratio at end-systole in evaluating outcomes in children with pulmonary hypertension. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2014 Feb;27(2):172-8.
9. Lyon M, Blaivas M, Brannam L. Sonographic measurement of the inferior vena cava as a marker of blood loss. Am J Emerg Med. 2005 Jan;23(1):45-50.
10. Nickson C. The Dark Art of IVC Ultrasound. Life in The Fast Lane (LITFL), 2020.
11. Brennan JM, Blair JE, et al. Reappraisal of the use of inferior vena cava for estimating right atrial pressure. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2007 Jul;20(7):857-61.