Chest or belly breath?

MARCH 10, 2024 ECHO TIP TODAY

Scott Morgan RDCS, RVT

CHEST BREATH OR BELLY BREATH?

I ask people to take a deep breath in all the time.  We all do. Today I had a patient ask if I wanted him to take in a chest breath or a belly breath.

Never have I been asked such a question. Like any other curious tech, I gave it a try with him. My apical pics got much better with a chest breath as I expected but hardly changed at all with a belly breath.  Sub costal did much better with a chest breath as well and no better with a belly breath. As you might expect, it was worse. I love my patients!

What if we ask for a deep breath and they do a belly breath? It doesn’t help.  Maybe we give up on breathing changes and try something else?

I recently watched a presentation on echoguru.com by Steven Walling and he talked about the basics of image improvement.  Great content on echoguru.

Steven referred to his technique as “P, B and J”. 

Position- Breathing- adJustment of the system.

I love that it is easy to remember and is probably what you have done for years. 

How many less experienced scanners start to play with the knobs immediately? Go for the imaging solution.  Push harder?

P-B-J. Brilliant!

So many times, it returns to the basics.  Hope you find this useful and try it.