Neurocritical Care Toronto
Critical Care Canada Forum Neurocritical Care Pre-conference Workshop 2026

Neurocritical Care Masterclass 2026 The Brain at the Bedside: An Introductory Workshop in Practical Neuro-Ultrasound for Acute Care Clinicians

November 22, 2026
Sheraton Centre, Toronto
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Testimonials

Congratulations to the organisers - it was a brilliant day!!

Great course! I always learn something new every year!

Really enjoyed this. Very thoughtfully put together.

Fantastic course!!! highly recommended

Well organized, well attended, with excellent speakers and discussion

Third master class I have attended, always have excellent presenters discussing relevant and current issues

A very well run and educational day with outstanding topic coverage and excellent speakers

Well done- very informative and engaging with the 'Poll Everywhere’ component

This course is endorsed by Neurocritical Care Society

logo of Neurocritical care Society

Overview

Point-of-care ultrasound is firmly embedded in critical care, but for many clinicians its use stops at the neck. This introductory workshop extends familiar ultrasound principles to the brain. Designed for clinicians with basic ultrasound experience but no prior neuro-ultrasound training, the day combines concise teaching, live demonstrations, supervised scanning in healthy volunteers and guided interpretation of recorded clinical cases.

Participants will practise obtaining transtemporal images, identifying normal brain landmarks, acquiring MCA Doppler waveforms, measuring optic nerve sheath diameter and obtaining bilateral measurements for midline-shift assessment. Selected alternative acoustic windows will be introduced according to participant experience and available time.

Recorded cases will explore vasospasm, suspected intracranial hypertension, hydrocephalus, midline shift and cerebral circulatory arrest, alongside selected applications during ECMO, cardiac arrest and shock. Throughout, faculty will emphasize image adequacy, physiological confounders, technical limitations and the risks of overinterpretation.

The workshop provides a foundation for further supervised learning. Attendance does not establish competence for independent clinical practice. Clinical applications will be discussed in the context of assessment, definitive imaging, specialist consultation and escalation.

  • 1day course

  • 3Q&A sessions

  • 4themes

  • 13speakers

  • 11topics

Learning Objectives

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the principal modalities and selected clinical applications of bedside neuro-ultrasound, including TCD, TCCD, B-mode brain ultrasound and ocular ultrasound.

  2. Demonstrate, under faculty supervision a structured approach to probe and preset selection, transtemporal image acquisition and identification of normal brain landmarks.

  3. Identify and insonate the MCA under faculty supervision, then use pulsed-wave Doppler to obtain and optimize the spectral Doppler waveform.

  4. Demonstrate standardized ONSD and bilateral midline measurement techniques under faculty supervision in healthy volunteers

  5. Discuss findings in guided clinical cases, recognizing technical limitations, physiological confounders and circumstances requiring further assessment or escalation.

  6. Describe the supervision, documentation, image review and continuing training required to develop neuro-ultrasound skills for clinical use.

Goals

  1. Introduce clinicians to bedside neuro-ultrasound including its principal techniques, clinical applications, and limitations in acute care.

  2. Build foundational image acquisition and measurement skills through supervised hands-on practice including identification of normal brain anatomy, acquisition of cerebral Doppler waveforms, optic nerve sheath diameter measurement, and bilateral midline measurements.

  3. Develop an approach to interpreting neuro-ultrasound findings through guided clinical cases recognizing technical pitfalls and physiological confounders, and understanding when further imaging, specialist assessment or escalation is needed.

Educational Approach

  1. Define the clinical question.

  2. Select the probe and preset.

  3. Identify the acoustic window.

  4. Assess image or waveform adequacy.

  5. Identify anatomy or vessels.

  6. Optimize acquisition and obtain relevant measurements.

  7. Recognize technical limitations and physiological confounders.

  8. Discuss whether to trust, repeat, confirm or escalate.

  9. Save, label and document representative findings.

Before the Workshop

Planned pre-course preparation will take approximately 45–60 minutes and cover relevant ultrasound physics, TCD compared with TCCD, probe and preset selection, basic cerebrovascular anatomy and Doppler terminology. This preparation aims to preserve the live faculty time for supervised scanning, image interpretation, and clinical application. A short baseline knowledge and image-recognition assessment will identify areas to reinforce during the workshop.

Continuing Skill Development

This workshop provides a consensus-informed foundation in bedside neuro-ultrasound. Participants will leave with a structured approach to image acquisition, measurement, interpretation, and clinical integration, together with a pathway for consolidating foundational skills and progressing to more advanced applications through supervised scanning, image review, and longitudinal competency development.

Target Audience

  1. General intensivists

  2. Critical care trainees

  3. Neuro-anesthesiologists

  4. Emergency physicians

  5. Neurosurgeons

  6. Neurologists

  7. Neurosurgery and Neurology nurse practitioners

  8. Clinicians interested in practical bedside neuromonitoring

Registration

Although it is not CCCF policy to limit the number of registrants for a course, conference room facilities may necessitate closing of enrollment; therefore, early registration is advised. A letter of confirmation will be sent upon receipt of payment and completed registration form.

The registration fee includes tuition, continental breakfasts, lunches and break refreshments.

Contact us at Dr. Victoria McCredie or Dr. Jeff Singh with any questions that you may have

Standalone

Combined with CCCF

Faculty

Our expert speakers will complement recent guidelines with practical tips and relevant case examples that will make even the most challenging aspects of neurocritical care both clear and accessible.

Picture of Victoria McCredie
Director

VictoriaMcCredie

MBChB, PhD, FRCPC, FNCS, FRCPUK

Picture of Jeffrey Singh
Director

JeffreySingh

MD, MSc, FRCPC, FNCS

Picture of Alberto Goffi
Faculty

AlbertoGoffi

MD

Picture of Chiara Robba
Faculty

ChiaraRobba

MD, PhD

Picture of Aarti Sarwal
Faculty

Aarti Sarwal

MD, FAAN, FNCS, FCCM, RP

Picture of Julie Kromm
Faculty

JulieKromm

MD, FRCPC

Picture of Geneviève C. Godmaire
Faculty

Geneviève C.Godmaire

Picture of Michael Dinsmore
Faculty

MichaelDinsmore

MD, BSc, PhD, FRCPC

Save the Date

Critical Care Canada Forum 2026 / November 23-25, 2026

Learn More

Schedule

  • 7:30 am - 8:00 am

    Registration and breakfast

  • 8:00 am - 8:15 am

    Welcome and learning goals

    Victoria McCredie

    • Session 1: Brain Ultrasound Fundamentals

    • 8:15 am - 8:45 am

      TCD, TCCD, and Cerebral Hemodynamics: A Practical Framework

      Aarti Sarwal

    • 8:45 am - 9:05 am

      Normal Transtemporal Brain Anatomy: Landmarks for Scanning

      Julie Kromm

    • 9:05 am - 9:20 am

      Live Demonstration: The Structured Transcranial Examination

      Aarti Sarwal

    • 9:20 am - 10:20 am

      Practical Rotation 1: Transtemporal Anatomy, Vessels and Doppler Acquisition in Healthy Volunteers

      Initial supervised practice: obtain an adequate transtemporal window, identify normal landmarks, and identify and insonate the MCA using PW Doppler to obtain and optimize the spectral Doppler waveform. Parallel groups practise the same core sequence.

      Julie Kromm

      Alberto Goffi

      Chiara Robba

  • 10:20 am - 10:35 am

    Morning break

    • Session 2: Ocular Ultrasound and Structural Brain Measurements

    • 10:35 am - 11:05 am

      Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter: Acquisition, Measurement, Interpretation, and Pitfalls

      Michael Dinsmore

    • 11:05 am - 11:35 am

      Ultrasound in Suspected Intracranial Hypertension: Integrating Doppler, Ocular and Structural Findings

      Chiara Robba

    • 11:35 am - 11:50 am

      Live Demonstration: ONSD and Bilateral Midline Measurements

      Michael Dinsmore

      Chiara Robba

    • 11:50 am - 12:50 pm

      Practical Rotation 2: Ocular Ultrasound and Structural Measurements in Healthy Volunteers

      Two 30-minute blocks: ocular ultrasound acquisition and ONSD measurement; identification of ventricular landmarks and bilateral measurements for midline-shift assessment. Optional temporal-window support supplements these activities.

      Michael Dinsmore

      Chiara Robba

      Geneviève C. Godmaire

  • 12:50 pm - 1:30 pm

    Lunch break

    • Session 3: Clinical Applications in Acute Brain Injury

    • 1:30 pm - 1:45 pm

      Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: interpreting vasospasm findings in the assessment of DCI

      Julie Kromm

    • 1:45 pm - 2:00 pm

      Traumatic Brain Injury: Hydrocephalus and Midline Shift

      Geneviève C. Godmaire

    • 2:00 pm - 2:15 pm

      Cerebral Circulatory Arrest: Patterns, Pitfalls, and Scope

      Alberto Goffi

    • 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

      Practical Rotation 3: Additional Windows on Healthy Volunteers and Case-Based Interpretation and Integration

      Two 30-minute blocks: further transtemporal practice and introduction to selected alternative windows; guided interpretation of recorded pathological studies and clinical cases. Scanning scope is adjusted to participant experience and available time.

      Alberto Goffi

      Julie Kromm

      Geneviève C. Godmaire

  • 3:15 pm - 3:30 pm

    Afternoon break

    • Session 4: Advanced Applications, Safety, and Implementation

    • 3:30 pm - 3:50 pm

      Neuro-Ultrasound During ECMO, Cardiac Arrest, and Shock

      Alberto Goffi

    • 3:50 pm - 4:30 pm

      When Not to Trust the Scan: Pitfalls and Artifacts / Interactive Cases / Audience Questions

    • 4:30 pm - 4:50 pm

      From Workshop to Practice: Building a Safe Neuro-POCUS Program

      Aarti Sarwal

  • 4:30 pm - 4:50 pm

    Closing remarks

    Jeffrey Singh

  • 5:00 pm - 5:05 pm

    Adjourn

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