FTc Preload Indicator — FRCA Primary MCQ

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ModeratePhysics & Clinical MeasurementFTc Preload IndicatorFRCA Primary

The corrected flow time (FTc) measured by oesophageal Doppler is a measure of:

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Correct answer: A — Left ventricular preload (filling status)

FTc is the systolic flow time corrected for heart rate (analogous to corrected QT). Normal FTc is approximately 330-360 ms. FTc <330 ms suggests hypovolaemia (shortened filling time). FTc >360 ms suggests vasodilation or fluid overload. It is used as a goal-directed fluid therapy parameter during surgery.

Reference: Al-Shaikh Stacey 2019 Essentials of Anaesthetic Equipment