What am I looking at?

Subxiphoid View

FIGURE 5: Subxiphoid view labeled

The liver can be found in the near field, with the heart in the far field. In standard convention, the right side of the heart will be on the left and in the near field of your screen, with the left side of the heart or the right and in the far field of the screen. The ventricles are found in the near field, with the atria in far field.

The border of the right ventricle and the intra-ventricular septum form a “7” in this view.

 

FIGURE 6: Subxiphoid view illustrating the area of interest (pericardial space).

 

Parasternal Long View:

FIGURE 7: Parasternal long view labeled

This view allows you to see the long axis of the heart. You will see three main sections of the heart moving parallel across the screen. In the near field, you will see the right ventricle. The aortic valve and left ventricular outflow track are found on the left side of the screen in mid field. The third parallel section is the left atrium and mitral valve flowing into the left ventricle. The descending aorta is found in the far field.