Ultrasounds and Doppler Effect: Echocardiography and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Output Monitoring

Abstract

The physics of sound waves has many applications in our everyday lives, from musical instruments to speeding fines, ultrasonography, and radars. This chapter addresses a clinically relevant topic (to anesthesiologists and intensivists) of wave physics: the Doppler Effect and its application to both ultrasonography (e.g., echocardiography) and minimally invasive cardiac output monitoring devices such as the esophageal Doppler.