Reproducibility, Intra- and Inter-Observer Variability of Bedside Cardiac Ultrasound Measurements in the Assessment of Hemodynamic Parameters in Healthy Volunteers

VTI is an echocardiographic parameter used to assess a patient's hemodynamic status. VTI reflects the distance traveled by blood ejected from the left ventricle during systole, enabling non-invasive estimation of key circulatory parameters, including stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO).

Evidence suggests that even brief training combined with expert supervision allows novice operators to obtain measurements comparable to those of experienced clinicians, indicating a steep learning curve.

In this study, operators with minimal training will perform transthoracic echocardiography and measure LVOT VTI (in cm) in healthy volunteers. These measurements will subsequently be compared with those obtained by an experienced operator.

Aim: To assess the equivalence of LVOT VTI measurements obtained by minimally trained operators compared with those acquired by expert operators, as well as to evaluate inter-operator variability among participants. The findings may support the development and optimization of training programs for physicians in point-of-care echocardiography.