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RDGY41640

Academic Year 2024/2025

Vascular Ultrasound I (RDGY41640)

Subject:
Radiography
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Medicine
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Ms Aine Lunney
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
Module Type:
Clinical Module
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module offers students the opportunity to achieve significant learning outcomes which are highly valued by employers. Committed students can develop their clinical and academic knowledge of vascular ultrasound and develop a range of generic skills such as information literacy, problem-solving, self-evaluation, group, and individual skills. Students registered for this module are offered an opportunity to study the following vascular ultrasound topics:
• Doppler theory and applications in ultrasound
• Anatomy and physiology of the venous and arterial systems
• Ultrasound of extracranial carotid arteries; normal appearances, flow patterns, and stenoses
• Recognize and discuss how pathology in carotid arteries is identified on ultrasound and how the disease is graded
• Recognize and discuss complex carotid scans including abnormal waveforms and limitations of carotid ultrasound
• Ultrasound of lower limb DVTs; theory and practice
A synthesis of experiential learning, didactic lectures, online tutorials, resource sessions, and Problem Based Learning will stimulate students to investigate a wide variety of issues including ultrasound anatomy, physiology, and pathology; technology; communication; clinical history and investigations; protocols and guidelines; and ethical and social implications. Students will also have the opportunity to develop clinical skills in vascular ultrasound in the clinical skills laboratory. This module is the first of three linked modules in vascular ultrasound. Students must arrange a clinical placement and provide evidence of an agreement to spend a minimum of 344 hours practicing vascular ultrasound examinations while undertaking these modules. The minimum clinical practice hours for this module are 125 hours.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
• perform routine carotid ultrasound examinations with limited supervision;
• perform lower limb DVT scanning with limited supervision;
• demonstrate an ability to source and analyse appropriate literature;
• apply current theories of ultrasound, basic sciences and communication to their clinical reasoning;
• understand requests for carotid and DVT ultrasound to include risk factors, patient presentation, bloods, pharmacology and
common medical histories;
• recognize carotid and DVT pathology and image and describe this pathology under limited supervision
• understand and recognize the imitations of ultrasound and the need for further imaging on carotid and lower limb DVT
ultrasound
• The concepts and issues relating to communication, clinical history and clinical investigations, protocols and guidelines, and
ethical and social implications are included in all sessions delivered.

Indicative Module Content:

topics:
• Revision of the anatomy and physiology of the venous and arterial systems
• Doppler theory and applications in ultrasound
• Anatomy and physiology of the venous and arterial systems
• Ultrasound of extra-cranial carotid arteries; normal appearances, flow patterns and stenoses
• Recognize and discuss how pathology in carotid arteries is identified on ultrasound
• Recognize, understand and discuss how carotid disease is graded
• Recognize, understand and discuss complex carotid scans including abnormal waveforms and limitations of carotid ultrasound
• Recognize, understand and discuss lower limb DVT ultrasound and incidental findings that may occur on a lower limb DVT scan
The minimum clinical practice hours for this module are 125 hours.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

30
Small Group

12
Practical

3
Specified Learning Activities

20
Autonomous Student Learning

45
Placement/Work Experience

125
Total

235

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
active/task-based learning;
group work
lectures;
critical writing;
reflective learning;
clinical practice

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Students must arrange and complete three months of clinical experience in an ultrasound department, which specializes in vascular ultrasound prior to commencing this Programme.
Students must provide written evidence of an agreement with a clinical ultrasound department to provide clinical ultrasound experience and supervision throughout the Programme.
Students must register for all three vascular ultrasound modules and must complete a minimum of 340 hours of clinical practice of vascular ultrasound during the Programme.
This module requires a minimum of 125 hours of clinical practice.
Applicants should be qualified Radiographers with Department of Health and Children approval to practise Radiography in Ireland.
Applicants should have completed one year of general experience in Radiography.
Other Professionals are considered on individual merit, but must be actively scanning in order to undertake modules in the Master's of Science (Ultrasound) Programme.

Learning Exclusions:

Students must arrange and complete three months of clinical experience in an ultrasound department, which specializes in vascular ultrasound prior to commencing this Programme.
Students must provide written evidence of an agreement with a clinical ultrasound department to provide clinical ultrasound experience and supervision throughout the Programme.
Students must register for all three vascular ultrasound modules and must complete a minimum of 340 hours of clinical practice of vascular ultrasound during the Programme.
This module requires a minimum of 125 hours of clinical practice.
Applicants should be qualified Radiographers with Department of Health and Children approval to practise Radiography in Ireland.
Applicants should have completed one year of general experience in Radiography.
Other Professionals are considered on individual merit, but must be actively scanning in order to undertake modules in the Master's of Science (Ultrasound) Programme.

Learning Recommendations:

It is recommended that students spend as much time as possible performing clinical ultrasound examinations while undertaking ultrasound modules. Students will maximize their potential to develop high level clinical and academic skills in ultrasound by exceeding the minimum clinical hours stated for each module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Portfolio: Reflection on clinical practice, formative assessments and record of cases and hours. Week 15 Graded No

10

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): An essay relating to the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of carotid artery disease or deep vein thrombosis. Week 10 Graded No

50

 No
Exam (In-person): Image based examination, 1 hour. Week 15 Graded Yes

40

 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Essay: individual written feedback Portfolio: individual written (verbal if requested) Image-based examination: individual verbal and written if requested

Name Role
Mr Kevin Cronin Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Mary Moran Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Marie Stanton Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
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